Senate vote moves Obama's trade agenda to brink of enactment

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's long-pursued trade agenda took a giant step toward becoming law on Tuesday, and opponents grudgingly conceded they now must fight on less-favorable terrain.

A key Senate vote greatly brightened Obama's hopes for a 12-nation Pacific-rim trade agreement, a keystone of his effort to expand U.S. influence in Asia. The trade pact would be a high point in a foreign policy that has otherwise been consumed by crisis management, and would give Obama a rare legislative achievement in the Republican-controlled Congress.

The Senate voted 60-37 to advance his bid for "fast track" negotiating authority. That was the minimum number of votes needed on the procedural question. But final passage, expected no later than Wednesday, needs only a simple majority, which would let Obama sign fast track into law.

The president wants to continue a retraining program for workers displaced by international trade. House and Senate support appears adequate, but even if that measure stumbles, the long-coveted fast track bill will be on Obama's desk.

"This is a very important day for our country," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said. In the strange-bedfellows politics of trade, he was among the Republican congressional leaders vital in pushing the agenda forward, with only modest help from Democrats.

The majority of Democrats oppose free-trade agreements, as do labor unions that play important roles in Democratic primaries. They say free-trade agreements ship U.S. jobs overseas. Obama, major corporate groups, GOP leaders and others say U.S. products must reach more global markets.

They say anti-trade forces have exaggerated the harm done by the 1994 North America Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.

Previous presidents have enjoyed fast track authority. It lets them propose trade pacts that Congress can reject or ratify, but not change or filibuster.

Obama wants to complete negotiations for the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP. Members include Japan, Mexico and Canada. He would ask Congress to ratify it, following weeks or months of public scrutiny that will give opponents another shot.

Several such organizations said they will regroup and fight on.

The liberal group MoveOn.org said fast track "puts the interests of massive, multinational corporations over those of American workers, consumers, and voters." When the Pacific-rim proposal becomes public, the group said, "MoveOn members and our allies nationwide will hold our elected officials accountable and urge them to vote down any deal that's bad for the American economy."

Some anti-free-trade groups, however, essentially conceded defeat.

"Fast track makes it virtually certain that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), and other secret trade deals will become law," said the "Internet-freedom" group Fight for the Future.