House deals humiliating blow to Obama
Defying President Obama, House Democrats on Friday rallied to vote
down legislation granting aid to workers displaced by trade, dealing a
potentially fatal blow to the fast-track legislation that had been
scheduled to hit the floor.
An overwhelming majority of Democrats
sought to sink the package in the 126-302 vote despite an impassioned
plea from the president, which he delivered in person during a rare
morning visit to Capitol Hill. A majority of Republicans also opposed the bill.
The vote came minutes after a dramatic floor speech
by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who rebuffed lobbying
by Obama to vote against the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program.Pelosi
noted that Democrats have traditionally backed TAA, but sided with
liberals in her conference who argued a vote against the program was the
only way to stop fast-track.
“If TAA slows down the fast track, I’m prepared to vote against TAA," Pelosi said.
Other
members of Pelosi's leadership team, including House Minority Whip
Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Reps. James Cyburn (S.C.) and Steve Israel
(N.Y.), voted "yes."
Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) cast a vote in favor of TAA. Speakers cast floor votes on relatively rare occasions.
Only
40 Democrats backed TAA, while 144 voted against it. On the GOP side,
158 Republicans voted "no," while 86 Republicans voted "yes."
The
vote against TAA is a humiliating defeat for Obama, who had spent weeks
lobbying House Democrats to support his trade agenda in the face of
overwhelming opposition from liberal groups and organized labor.
Under
the procedure established for considering the trade package, TAA had
been packaged with fast-track authority, and a vote against either
doomed the total package.
