TPP setback: US Democrats block fast-track bill

Democrats in the US Senate have blocked a crucial trade bill that would give President Barack Obama fast-track authority to expedite trade agreements through Congress.

This is a major defeat for the president and supporters of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and other free-trade agreements.

The vote was 52-45, with supporters short of the 60 votes necessary to clear a procedural hurdle to advance the bill.

But this is a short-term setback rather than an end to the story. Most observers believe a majority of senators support the fast-track measure as well as the TPP.

The vote reflects political procedure practices as a group of Democrats try to tie the trade bill to three other trade-related pieces of legislation.

These concern assistance to workers hurt by trade; a customs bill that includes worker protections and language to push the administration to do more to combat currency manipulation; and one extending an expiring programme that provides trade preferences to sub-Saharan African countries.

Another vote expected next week
The key figure in these anti-trade initiatives is Senate (Democratic) minority leader Harry Reid, of Nevada, who has long campaigned for interests associated with organised labour.

On the other side, Senate (Republican) majority leader Mitch McConnell must regroup in an effort to get the extra votes necessary to advance the measure past the chamber’s 60-vote threshold.

A final vote at this procedural stage could be held next week

Passage of trade promotion authority, which lapsed in 2007, allows the president to submit trade deals to Congress for an up-or-down vote, with no amendments, and runs for seven years.