Union-backed Democrats seek to scuttle Obama "fast track"authority

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a media conference at the conclusion of the G-7 summitat Schloss Elmau hotel near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany, Monday, June 8, 2015. Thetwo-day summit addressed such issues as climate change, poverty and the fight against terrorism.

(Markus Schreiber, The Associated Press)

WASHINGTON -- Union-backed Democrats launched a last-ditch effort Thursday to scuttle PresidentBarack Obama's trade agenda by sacrificing a favored program of their own that retrains workersdisplaced by international trade.

The retraining program was linked to the Democrats' real target: legislation to help Obama advancemultination trade agreements. In hopes of bringing down the whole package, which they sayimperils jobs at home, numerous House Democrats said they would vote Friday against theretraining measure.

House Republicans were in the odd position of supporting Obama's bid for "fast-track" trade-negotiating authority, while the White House struggled to come up with enough Democratic votes towin passage.

In a closed meeting in the Capitol, top White House officials implored Democrats not to deny Obamathe trade authority. Such a vote, they said, would block needed trade expansion for the nation andsink a major priority of the Democratic president.

The sometimes-emotional exchanges illustrated the high stakes and intense feelings surroundingObama's bid for "fast track" trade-negotiating authority. Such authority, which previous presidentshave enjoyed, would let Obama present Congress with proposed trade agreements that it couldratify or reject but not change.

Obama hopes to advance the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership and other proposals that have beennegotiated for years.

Unions vehemently oppose such deals, saying they ship U.S. jobs abroad.

AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka urged House Democrats to do something once unthinkable --reject the retraining program, known as Trade Adjustment Authority, or TAA -- as the best means tokill fast track. Those attending the meeting said Trumka told Democrats he would pray for those whooppose the unions' position.

Some of the highest-ranking Democrats are with Trumka.

Fast track and the jobs program "are linked, so if TAA doesn't pass, it puts a hold on both," said Rep.Sander Levin of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee. "I'm urging peopleto vote against it."

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