[by Michael Stumo] The Senate voted to proceed to debate the trade deficit producing Fast Track bill today. All Republicans and 13 Democrats voted for cloture.
The Dems voting for the motion to proceed were Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mark Warner (D-VA).
This was not a vote to pass Fast Track, but a vote to proceed to debate it. There will be amendments submitted and voted upon in the coming days.
While CPA was pleased with the Tuesday cloture vote that failed on a 52-45 vote (60 votes were needed to pass), we were disappointed but not surprised by this reversal. CPA has always believed it difficult to defeat Fast Track in the Senate. The House of Representatives has always been the more likely place for potential defeat.
