WASHINGTON — With President Barack Obama declaring on Tuesday his intentions to push for legislation giving him authority to move forward unilaterally with trade deals, Democrats made one thing clear: They don’t have his back.
“Twenty-first century businesses, including small businesses, need to sell more American products overseas,” Obama said in his State of the Union address. “That’s why I’m asking both parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect American workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren’t just free, but are also fair.”
He added, “It’s the right thing to do.”
But it’s not the right thing to do according to those in his party opposed to granting that special authority, known as trade promotion authority or fast track authority, which prevents lawmakers from shaping the details of trade deals.
“We will do what we can in the Senate to defeat this unfortunate proposal,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who caucuses with Democrats.
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“We are going to win this issue,” she said, noting that the House blocked it in 1997. “We believe that we will win this vote to deny fast track.”
DeLauro couldn’t say, though, why there weren’t any Republicans at Wednesday’s event. She also couldn’t say if she expected Pelosi to have her back on the issue, though she said Pelosi has always advocated for transparency.
“She will make up her own mind,” said DeLauro.
Sabrina Siddiqui, Maxwell Tani, Julia Craven and Jesse Rifkin contributed reporting.
