Posted on 05/21/2015 9:34:11 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
President Barack Obama's signature Asian trade push cleared another hurdle in the U.S. Senate on Thursday after a knife-edge vote moved the White House closer to gaining the power to speed trade deals through Congress.
Senators voted 62-38 to give Obama a major victory and set up a speedy decision on the "fast-track" trade negotiating authority the president needs to complete the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. TPP is seen as central to U.S. efforts to counter China's increasing economic muscle.
Thirteen of 44 Democrats supported the legislation through the second Senate vote. Some supported moving ahead with fast track after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, assured them he would set a vote next month on a bill to renew the Export-Import Bank's charter, according to leading Democratic senators. The charter is due to expire at the end of June.
They were joined by 49 of 54 Republicans, giving supporters of the legislation more than the 60 votes needed to proceed in the 100-member Senate.
Senators will now weigh amendments to the bill. If there is cooperation among all senators, the bill could come to a vote later Thursday, with only a simple majority of 51 needed for passage.
Under fast-track, Congress can approve or reject trade deals like the TPP, with 11 other countries ranging from Japan to Chile, but not amend their contents.
But the path is not clear yet. The Senate will now start considering amendments to the bill, including controversial sanctions for trading partners that manipulate their currencies, a move opposed by the partners.
Democrats in R jerseys working harder for Obama than real Democrats......
they had to pass it to find out what’s in it. This country is screwed.
Secret agreement.
Secret.
Only Sen. Warren understood that and spoke out loudly.
The GOP (Give Obama Power) Party lived up to its
name, and continued to stab its voters in the face and
heart (as with ObamaCARE, as with open borders,
as with arming al Qaeda, as with letting McCain use
the IRS to attack TEA Party, as with ...).
a day that will live in infamy..
Some fabian socialist said that from the WH way back when men were men..
I keep hearing how Republicans have constantly opposed everything Obama has tried to do. But can anyone tell me when was the last time Republicans have not granted whatever the king wanted? Oh, they night make this show of opposition, but in the end they give in. It's all theater to impress the voters. But they have no intention of blocking the Obama agenda.
The GOP campaign strategy of “lesser of two evils” pays off again for America. FU little people.
Don’t blame me, I refused to vote for Mitch (Harry’s Bitch) McConnell, oxygen waster extraordinaire.
Wake up.
this TPA/TPP is the Republican agenda and Obama is along for the ride.
From The Hill:
“Five Republicans voted against ending debate: Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Richard Shelby (Ala.), Jeff Sessions (Ala.), Mike Lee (Utah) and Paul.
“Sessions, who has been critical about not getting a vote on his amendment, said just before the vote that he would vote against cloture, saying that the “fast track” legislation meant Congress would “suspend several of it’s most basic powers for the next six years and to delegate those powers to the executive.””
Kudos to Sen. Sessions and to Lee, Paul, Shelby, and Collins (did she get mixed up and thought she was voting against cloture rather than for it?).
Fast tracking by the government worries me.
Does anyone actually believe that this agreement will do anything to open protected markets in Japan or China or Taiwan to more American exports? This agreement will only accelerate outsourcing and balloon the trade deficit to even more absurd levels.
Until the next elections, Hussein will get every thing he wants from this Congress after some time wasting public dithering. After November 2016 when the people refuse to er-elect the gopes and President Mrs. Bill or whoever else the Democrats choose has taken the Presidency the time wasting will be eliminated ant the serious business of total rule, population reduction, green energy, redivision of society into the great equal masses who will be guaranteed 500 calories a day and a set of clothes and the tiny rich-as-Stalin ruling class will begin in earnest.
Aren’t they really just fascist progressives in R and D jerseys? I had to face the fact that the Republicans are not on my, or the American people’s side. The Republicans are not and never will be conservative. I am the odd man out, they are what they have always been. Just more so now and they barely even try to hide it anymore.
1,000
So does the house have the votes to approve this?
Ted Cruz??? He’s done a few things lately that have me wondering about where he’s at.
So, Ted Cruz voted to give Obama this power?
A. Climate Change
B. 17th Amendment
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