WASHINGTON (AP) – The hardest sell for President Barack Obama will be persuading members of his own party to back a bipartisan agreement on global U.S. trade policy.
Longtime divisions in the Democratic ranks broke open Thursday when top congressional lawmakers finally reached a long-sought deal that would pave the way for the broadest trade policy pact in years. Under the agreement, Obama would be allowed to negotiate trade accords for Congress’ review and move forward with talks on a sweeping partnership with 11 Pacific nations.
Obama quickly said he would sign the bill if Congress passed it.
“It’s no secret that past trade deals haven’t always lived up to their promise,” Obama said in a statement. “And that’s why I will only sign my name to an agreement that helps ordinary Americans get ahead.”
A feud erupted among liberal and pro-business Democrats over the deal’s potential for creating or subtracting American jobs.