WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pro-trade Democrats in the Senate are determined to pass both fast-track authority and a program to help workers hurt by trade, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee said on Thursday.
The House will vote Thursday on a stripped-down version of the fast-track bill, taking out the worker aid program, which is expected to be tacked on to separate legislation.
"Pro-trade Democrats feel very strongly about making sure that both get done," Senator Ron Wyden told Reuters.
The fast-track bill passed the Senate last month on a vote of 62-37, with the support of 14 Democrats. Wyden said the group was closely involved in talks on how to handle the stand-alone bill, assuming it passes the House.
"We're examining all of the issues with respect to Senate procedure," he said, declining to speculate on what would happen if it did not pass.
"It's our job to make it happen. We're having almost around the clock meetings to make sure the process is such that it actually will happen."