RNC Research

After Being “Politically Weakened,” Obama’s Own Party Is Blocking His Trade Agenda. “Republicans historically have supported free-trade agreements far more than have Democrats, and a politically weakened Obama may not have enough second-term clout to successfully twist the arms of enough Democratic lawmakers.” (Tom Raum, “Obama Trade Dilemma: Scant Support From Democrats,” The Associated Press, 6/15/13)

After Democrat Rep. Sander Levin Abandoned His Support For Obama’s Trade Proposals, The White House Has Been Unable To Find A Democrat Co-Sponsor. “The first blow came in August, when the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, Sander Levin of Michigan, backed out of negotiations on what to include in the bill, leaving Baucus, Senate Finance ranking member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and the House panel’s chairman, Dave Camp (R-Mich.), short a House Democratic co-sponsor.  House Republicans left it to the White House to find a replacement for Levin. But several sources said obvious targets, such as Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.), a pro-trade Ways and Means member and the chairman of the New Democrat Coalition, were not even asked.” (Eric Bradner, “Hill Democrats MIA On Obama Trade Agenda,” Politico, 1/15/14)

• Democrats Have Greeted Obama’s Trade Agenda “With A Raft Of Complaints.” Their comments echoed those of dozens of Democrats who greeted the bill with a raft of complaints, saying that advancing huge trade deals is out of step with their party’s more populist election-year message of economic inequality.” (Eric Bradner, “Hill Democrats MIA On Obama Trade Agenda,” Politico, 1/15/14)

Harry Reid Refuses To Commit To Bring President’s Bill To The Floor. “On the Senate side, Majority Leader Harry Reid refused on Tuesday to commit to bringing the bill to the floor even if the Finance Committee reports it out.  “There’s a lot of controversy on that, and I’m going to see how that plays out with my caucus and with the Senate,” the Nevada Democrat said at a news conference after his party’s weekly caucus lunch.” (Eric Bradner, “Hill Democrats MIA On Obama Trade Agenda,” Politico, 1/15/14)

Five Democratic Senators – Sens. Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, Ben Cardin, Debbie Stabenow, And Robert Menendez – Wrote In Opposition To The Presidents “Fast Track” Trade Authority. “Today, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) urged the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to work directly with them and other members of Congress in constructing a consultation framework in advance of any consideration of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), or ‘fast track…’ “We are not prepared to support TPA legislation that resembles the current framework for consultations or that does not provide mechanisms that enable Congress to hold USTR more accountable throughout the negotiation process or give USTR greater authority to negotiate basic standards on good governance and human rights.” (Sens. Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, Ben Cardin, Debbie Stabenow, And Robert Menendez, Letter To U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Michael Froman, 1/9/14)