House lawmakers voted Tuesday to extend consideration of a “Fast Track” trade package until late July, a move that will give both parties more time to find a path forward on the legislation that stalled in the House of Representatives last week.
The vote came after President Obama failed to persuade lawmakers in his own party to back the deal, which would give him expedited authority to secure international trade pacts.
Democrats blocked passage on Friday by voting down an attached provision that would extend a program to provide aid to workers displaced by new trade agreements. Democrats support trade assistance, but are staunchly opposed to the “Fast Track” deal, which they say will speed up trade pacts that kill U.S. manufacturing jobs.
The stalled, two-part bill now sits in the House. It passed the Senate last month.
Under the rules of the House, Republicans had only until Tuesday to dispose of the legislation under the rules of the chamber, and decided to vote for an extension. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told the Washington Examiner the move “keeps our options open.”
The GOP extended the time available to consider the trade package by passing a rule governing debate on legislation authorizing U.S. intelligence programs. Part of that rule includes language saying the House is now allowed to vote on the trade adjustment assistance portion of the bill any time through July 30.
Democrats argued before the vote that this technical change to the rule is unprecedented. But it passed nonetheless in a 236-189 vote that saw just a handful of Republicans vote against it, and a handful of Democrats vote for it.
