The U.S. Senate on Tuesday struck down a motion to start debate in the assembly on a high-profile trade bill, a setback for a bid by President Barack Obama's administration to conclude a Pacific free trade initiative early.
The result of the vote on the bill for the so-called trade promotion authority indicated many lawmakers thought it was premature to even begin debate in earnest in the upper chamber and will affect the fate of an upcoming meeting of chief negotiators for the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership and subsequent ministerial talks.
With a 52-45 vote, the Senate rejected a plan to hold deliberation on the bill that would grant the president authority to sign trade deals including the TPP with only a yes-or-not vote from lawmakers.