Obama’s trade bill narrowly clears a key Senate hurdle
(Worthy News)– In a triumph for President Barack Obama, sweeping legislation to strengthen the administration’s hand in global trade talks advanced toward Senate passage Thursday after a showdown vote that remained in doubt until the final moment, the Associated Press reported.
The 62-38 vote, two more than the 60 needed, came from a solid phalanx of Republicans and more than a dozen Democrats. But the decisive thumbs-up came — literally, and long past the allotted time — from Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington after she and a few others seized the moment as leverage to demand a vote next month on legislation to renew the Export-Import Bank.
“It was a nice victory. We’re going to continue and finish up the bill this week,” Majority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Obama’s most important Senate ally on the trade bill, said after sealing the agreement that Cantwell, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and others had sought. –[wp_colorbox_media url=”http://apnews.myway.com/article/20150522/us–congress_rdp-95d5f0f787.html” type=”iframe” hyperlink=”Source”]