HUFFINGTON POST: The White House’s trade plans are on hold, at least for now, Vice President Joe Biden said Friday, in welcome news to many Democrats who oppose the sweeping deals.
President Barack Obama has been pushing for ambitious free-trade deals with Europe and 11 Pacific nations. But those deals depend first on Congress granting the president so-called fast-track trade authority. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has already said he opposes recently proposed legislation from former Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) that would grant that authority, and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi rejected the Baucus-Camp proposal on Wednesday.
After speaking to lawmakers at a Democratic policy retreat in Cambridge, Md., Biden acknowledged that Obama would not get his trade authority any time soon, in spite of having pushed for it in his recent State of the Union address… (more)
EDITOR: The President had opposition for granting “fast track” from liberal members of his own party. They feared the loss of more American jobs.
