The White House is putting pressure on both Republicans and Democrats in the House to gather support for a trade package that failed spectacularly last week, and is pushing for a new vote sooner rather than later.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters that calls went out to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, over the weekend. While they didn’t connect, Earnest said he expected Obama would talk to Boehner directly today.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the president has the opportunity to speak to Speaker Boehner today to discuss this issue,” he said.
Last week, Republicans told the Washington Examiner that they didn’t think many more Republicans could vote for the trade adjustment assistance bill this week. A total of 86 Republicans voted for that bill, along with just 40 Democrats, and the 126 votes in favor of that bill prevented it and a bill giving Obama trade promotion authority, or TPA, from moving ahead.
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Republicans say Obama needs to spend much more time working on Democrats. To that end, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough spoke to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who said just before the vote that she would not support either bill.
McDonough also called Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., although the big hurdle these days is in the House, not the Senate.
Despite the failed vote, Earnest said he believes TPA would eventually pass the House.
“The president and the rest of us here at the White House continue to be confident that there is strong bipartisan support for this approach,” he said. “We just have to figure out how to untangle the legislative snafu in the House.”
Earnest’s remarks came shortly after House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said that he was unsure how the chamber would proceed or when a bill reauthorizing trade adjustment assistance would come to the floor again.
Earnest said he agreed with McCarthy’s sentiment that the longer the process plays out, the harder it would be to pass it, and indicated the White House supports another attempt in the near future.
