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An overwhelming majority of U.S. senators voted Thursday to end debate and schedule a final vote on the fast track bill that would grant President Barack Obama expanded powers to expedite free trade deals through Congress.
The bill has stumbled its way through the Senate as Democratic lawmakers have criticized the legislation, despite President Barack Obama’s backing. They fear that the free trade agreements currently being negotiated would worsen the unemployment situation in the country by facilitating the outsourcing of jobs to Asia, where labor laws are weaker and labor costs are cheaper.
RELATED: TPP Talks Kick Off in New York to Push NAFTA-Style Trade Deal
“The Senate just put the interests of powerful multi-national corporations, drug companies and Wall Street ahead of the needs of American workers,” said U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.
Sanders, who is running in the Democratic Party’s presidential primary, added, “If this disastrous trade agreement is approved, it will throw Americans out of work while companies continue moving operations and good-paying jobs to low-wage countries overseas.”
The environmental organization Friends of the Earth also expressed criticisms, warning that, "A vote for Fast Track is a vote to accelerate climate change in the name of corporate profits."
However on Wednesday 13, a group of Democratic senators eventually reached an agreement with their Republican counterparts to add two provisions to the current legislation, a customs bill including rules against currency manipulation and one extending African trade benefits.
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Senate Votes on Job-Killing Trade Bill: http://t.co/xgrIHtoOr2 #TPP #FastTrack pic.twitter.com/EmKoH0Kni0
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders)
Mayo 21, 2015
The Senate is expected to vote to give final approval for the fast-track legislation before Monday, while the House of Representative is expected hold a vote in June.
Context
If approved by Congress, the fast track legislation, formally known as Trade Promotion Authority, would not allow Congress to amend or filibuster free trade agreements negotiated by the president and would require and up or down vote within 90 days.
Most U.S. presidents have benefited from this legislative authority since its implementation in 1975, but as it regularly expires, since 2012 Obama has been seeking a congressional renewal of six more years.
The fast track bill would apply especially to two free trade agreements currently being negotiated by the United States: the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the European Union and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with 11 Pacific nations that includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.
