Senate Ok’s Obama’s Trade Deal

Barack Obama won a key victory in the Senate late Friday evening with the approval a bill that would help the president complete a comprehensive trade deal with 11 Pacific Rim nations. Nearly 50 Republican Senators and more than 10 Democrats voted for the legislation, despite fierce opposition from unions, which had hoped for—and failed to get—an amendment to create strict regulation of global currency markets (here’s looking at you, China). The bill, which would in effect fast-track trade deals, now heads to the House, where it faces significant opposition from Congressional liberals.