WASHINGTON — A Senate panel is poised to advance one of President Barack Obama's top trade initiatives despite strong opposition from labor unions and other left-leaning groups.
The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on "fast track" legislation Wednesday. It would renew presidential authority to present trade deals that Congress can endorse or reject, but not amend.
Obama wants fast-track powers to help push free-trade proposals such as the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Many liberal groups oppose both measures, saying free-trade pacts hurt U.S. jobs.
Obama says his Democratic opponents have their facts wrong.
"I would not be doing this trade deal if I did not think it was good for the middle class," Obama said in an interview Tuesday with MSNBC. "When you hear folks make a lot of suggestions about how bad this trade deal is, when you dig into the facts, they are wrong."
Several top Democrats aren't backing down, however. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada told reporters, "I'm not only no, I'm hell no" on Obama's bid for fast-track authority.
Few issues divide Democrats more than trade. Obama, like former President Bill Clinton, supports free trade, but many Democratic lawmakers do not.