Ron Wyden in Bloomberg.com

On Free Trade: Key supporter of fast-track trade-promotion authority

Disapproval trails Ron Wyden these days. Over the past few months, he's become the White House's chief congressional ally on free trade, helping President Obama and the US Trade Representative push for a bill to streamline the passage of trade deals. That's alienated liberal activists in Oregon, his home state, who show up at the senator's public events flying a 30-foot-long blimp that says, "Ron Wyden: It's up to you. Don't betray us!"

In the Senate, [many Democrats] oppose giving the president "fast-track" trade-promotion authority, which limits Congress's ability to modify trade agreements the administration negotiates with foreign governments. "The answer is not only no, but hell no," Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said. His advice to Wyden: "Slow this thing down a little bit."

The fast-track bill would let Congress instruct negotiators what it wants out of a trade deal, but then stop lawmakers from tacking on any amendments when presented with the treaty for approval.

Source: Bloomberg News coverage of 2016 Ohio Senate race May 2, 2015

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Page last updated: Dec 15, 2021