Senate votes against advancing fast-track trade bill

Senate leaders
(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The Senate on Tuesday voted against advancing a bill that would grant the president fast-track authority to expedite a massive trade pact, delivering a stinging blow to President Obama's agenda. The measure needed 60 votes to move on to formal debate, but failed by a 52-45 vote.

Pro-trade Democrats signaled their intention Tuesday morning to stall the bill until it is amended to include bolstered trade enforcement protections. That group included one of the bill's co-authors, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who said that while he remained "thoroughly committed" to passing the bill he could not do so without ensuring it includes those protections.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.