Obama Sets up "War Room" to promote "Fast Track"--Seeking to Woo Fellow Democrats on Trade Deals
Obama seeks to woo fellow Democrats on trade deals
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/obama-seeks-to-woo-fellow-democrats-on-trade-deals-2015-01-22
President Barack Obama’s push for a new round of trade deals looks set to hinge on a small swing contingent of House Democratic lawmakers, testing the president’s ability to woo wary members of his own party.
To do that, the White House has deployed cabinet secretaries and set up a war room to promote fast-track trade legislation on Capitol Hill. Obama asked for legislation to ease passage of trade deals in Tuesday’s State of the Union address, portraying such a move as good for jobs and a counter to China’s influence in the Pacific.
The White House hopes to move ahead on a trade deal under negotiation with Japan and other Pacific nations, as well as a deal officials are eying with the European Union.
Most Republicans in Congress, backed by the business community, support the Pacific deal and fast-track legislation. But the math on the Republican side in the House is unpredictable, as some conservative Republicans are leery of granting Obama leeway to conclude overseas deals that wouldn’t be subject to procedural delays or amendments in Congress.
Lawmakers and lobbyists say it is hard to know how many House Republicans would vote against fast track, an uncertainty that puts more pressure on the administration to win over as many Democrats as possible.
Many in Obama’s party, however, worry that fast track will pave the way for passage of the Pacific deal, and they question the administration’s assurances that that agreement will promote strong labor and environmental rules in Vietnam and other countries involved.
An expanded version of this story is available at WSJ.com.
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