McConnell sets up first trade vote

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday teed up the Senate’s first vote on fast-track trade legislation, setting up a test vote for one of the Kentucky Republican’s top policy priorities. 

The Senate will take a procedural vote Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. to end debate on a motion to proceed to a House bill on tax exemptions, which the Senate will use as the legislative vehicle for fast-track. 

{mosads}The legislation, which would block Congress from amending a trade pact the administration is negotiating with 11 Pacific Rim countries, is a rare area of agreement between McConnell and the Obama administration. 

But McConnell is facing some pushback within his own party over the legislation. 

Sen. Jeff Sessions suggested Thursday that he remains skeptical of the legislation, adding that he recently wrote a letter to President Obama on the subject. 

“We are going to agree in advance before we see the completed treaty, before it’s made public, to allow this agreement to pass. … I think that’s a big ask for Congress,” he said. 

The Alabama Republican added that while he’s supported fast-track legislation in the past, he believes “it’s time for us to be a lot more careful” with trade agreements. 

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) threatened this week to block the trade legislation, though it’s unclear if he’ll have enough votes to do so.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters that Democratic leadership is still talking to its members, particularly Democrats that support the trade legislation.  

The trade legislation has divided Democrats, including the leadership team. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) broke with Reid and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is poised to be the next Democratic leader, by supporting the legislation.