President Obama’s effort to secure an ambitious Asia-Pacific free trade agreement faces a key test Friday, when the House of Representatives votes whether to extend crucial “fast-track” negotiating authority to the White House.
It is not clear whether the bill has enough support from Obama’s fellow Democrats, many of whom are concerned the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, trade deal would send more American jobs overseas and hurt the environment.
Republicans generally support such free trade agreements, but many in the party are reluctant to play a role in giving Obama what is seen as a major political achievement, especially ahead of 2016 elections.
The fast-track legislation, known as Trade Promotional Authority, or TPA, would allow the White House to negotiate the 12-nation Asian trade pact and others like it without letting Congress make any changes in the deals when they come up for approval or rejection.
Refusal to grant the negotiating authority would make it much more difficult for the administration to secure the TPP deal, which is already years behind schedule. As a result, Obama has spent significant political capital on the TPA issue.
At a closed-door meeting Thursday at the Capitol, senior White House officials urged House Democrats to support the fast-track bill. Later, Obama made a surprise visit to an annual congressional baseball game in Washington, where he further lobbied lawmakers.
Despite the president’s efforts, only 20 of 188 Democratic members of the House have publicly promised to support the bill Friday. That means Republicans may have to make up any difference, something leading party members say may not happen.
“I’m not in the guaranteeing business,” said Republican House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday after speaking via the phone with Obama. “I know he’s working on it and I hope he’s successful.”
Democratic efforts to scuttle the bill are now focused on a program, known as Trade Adjustment Authority, or TAA, a safety net program that would offer to retrain workers who lose their jobs as a result of trade deals.
Such programs are usually supported more by Democrats than Republicans, but many Democrats now say rejecting the initiative is the best way to kill the entire trade deal. If the TAA initiative does not pass Friday, the fast-track bill cannot come up for a vote.
The countries negotiating the TPP are the U.S., Vietnam, Singapore, Peru, New Zealand, Mexico, Malaysia, Japan, Chile, Canada, Brunei, and Australia. The U.S.-led pact aims to cover nearly 40 percent of global economic output when completed.
The White House has said the TPP would help further break down global trade barriers, open untapped markets, and grow the economy, while providing an important counterbalance to the growing economic strength of China.
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