President Obama this week said the prospects for congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership will be best after the election season ends, signaling that the White House still believes it can successfully navigate political headwinds and push the trade agreement through Congress this year.
[Daily News| April 25, 2016 |Inside US Trade]
“And with respect to Congress and Trans-Pacific Partnership, I think after the primary season is over the politics settle down a little bit in Congress, and we’ll be in a position to start moving forward,” Obama said on Sunday (April 24) in Germany at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “But I think we all know that elections can sometimes make things a little more challenging, and people take positions, in part, to protect themselves from attacks during the course of election season.”
“During presidential elections, it’s always tough,” Obama said. “When we’re in the heat of campaigns, people naturally are going to worry more about what’s lost than what’s gained with respect to trade agreements.”
Obama was responding to questions on whether an expected lame-duck session of Congress represents the earliest possible window for the administration to successfully push TPP, and his answer signals that he believes that to be the case.
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