Legislation key to US President Barack Obama's trade agenda has passed a key hurdle in the Senate, just two weeks after it appeared to have failed.
The bill known as the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) or, more commonly, Fast Track, makes it easier for presidents to negotiate trade deals.
Supporters see it as critical to the success of a 12-nation trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The bill is expected to pass a final vote in the Senate on Wednesday.
Tuesday's 60-37 vote - just barely meeting the required 60 vote threshold - is the result of the combined efforts of the White House and many congressional Republicans to push the bill through Congress, despite the opposition of many Democrats.
This is primarily a tech news site, and it's generally good to avoid political news, but the TPP is a huge trade deal, negotiated in secret, that will have large ramifications for the world economy that affects us all, and that also has large implications for the accountability of major world governments to their citizens.
(Score: 2) by Leebert on Wednesday June 24 2015, @07:20PM
You can't force lawmakers to actually do their job in any way other than voting them out when they don't. For instance, you want a requirement that bills are be read on the floor in their entirety? They'll get around that with little effort procedurally. They'll write laws that essentially say: "The regulations in the 2,954 page long document XYZ are hereby incorporated by reference into this Act."
(Score: 3, Interesting) by khedoros on Wednesday June 24 2015, @08:01PM
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday June 24 2015, @10:05PM
They'll just get around that by passing a bill saying "No text or other 'blah blah blah' on the bill."
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 25 2015, @12:15AM
That's why there needs to be a constitutional amendment. Mere bills can't override the highest law of the land.