Senate panel approves 'fast track' trade bill

WASHINGTON -- A top Senate panel approved legislation to renew presidential "fast track" authority that would enhance President Obama's ability to negotiate a pending trade pact with Asia-Pacific nations.

The Senate Finance Committee voted, 20-6, Thursday evening to send the bill to the full Senate, but only after a defiant act by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to delay the hearing by invoking an antiquated Senate scheduling rule that pushed back committee action for hours.

Sanders is a leading liberal opponent of both fast track and the underlying Trans-Pacific Partnership and is considering a run for president.

"This job-killing trade deal has been negotiated in secret," Sanders said, "It was drafted with input by special interests and corporate lobbyists but not from the elected representatives of the American people."

Not all congressional Democrats are opposed to it, and Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, predicted bipartisan support for the bill coauthored by the panel's top Democrat, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

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Democratic Sens. Maria Cantwell of Washington, Tom Carper of Delaware and Mark Warner of Virginia also support the legislation.

The partisan undertones of Thursday's committee session were a preview of what is expected to be one of the more pitched battles in this Congress that will test Democratic allegiances.

Obama is eager to advance TPP, while labor unions and liberal activists oppose it because they believe it will hurt U.S. job growth. In order to get it through Congress, the administration will need to rely on Republicans and a handful of Democrats.

"He has to bring Democrats," House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Wednesday. "This absolutely has to be bipartisan in order to be successful."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., voiced his opposition to the deal on Tuesday. "I have never, ever in my 33 years in Congress ever supported a trade agreement, and I'm not going to start now," Reid said, "So the answer is not only no, but hell no."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who supports fast track, is expected to push for a full Senate vote in the coming weeks. The House has not yet acted on the legislation.