Washington---President Barack Obama headed to Congress Friday to personally lobby reluctant Democrats not to torpedo a bill to give him authority to pursue a sweeping free trade agenda.
The House of Representatives was set to vote on final passage of so-called Trade Promotion Authority, and while Republican leaders say they have the momentum to get it across the finish line, the vote remains a toss-up.
TPA, which has already passed the Senate, would allow Obama to finalize negotiations with 11 other Pacific Rim countries on what would be the largest trade agreement ever, a massive pact with Japan, Australia, Chile, Vietnam and others encompassing some 40 percent of global commerce.
With the vote on a razor's edge, the president dashed to Capitol Hill in a bid to persuade Democrats, most of whom are in open revolt against granting the president powers that allow him to present a trade pact to Congress for an up-or-down vote with no chance for them to change it.
"I don't think you ever nail anything down around here. It's always moving," Obama, speaking of the vote's prospects, told reporters as he emerged from the closed-door session.
He needs a simple majority in the House, where the bulk of votes will come from rival Republicans, although roughly 20 Democrats will need to sign on for TPA to pass.
After the meeting, several Democrats insisted they will hold their ground.
"He didn't change my mind," House Democrat Gene Green said. "I'm going to vote against all of it."
Green was referring to the three trade bills getting votes Friday, including Trade Adjustment Assistance that would help US workers displaced by globalization.
Angry Democrats said they felt TAA, traditionally backed overwhelmingly by their party, was being used to lure lawmakers to vote for TPA, or so-called fast-track authority.
Obama urged lawmakers to "play it straight" and not vote against worker assistance "just because you want to kill the trade agreement," Democrat Henry Cuellar told reporters.
House leaders arranged it so that worker assistance must pass before lawmakers can vote on Trade Promotion Authority.
A third vote occurs on a customs measure, a catch-all bill into which Republicans have added several of their priorities, including a provision barring trade deals from requiring Washington to address climate change, and another forbidding such pacts from loosening immigration laws.
Congressman Brad Sherman said Obama gave an "eloquent" defense of TPA, but the California Democrat said he and the caucus were not swayed.
AFP
