‘Ticked-Off’ Republicans Block Session on U.S. Trade Accords
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Republicans led by Senator Orrin Hatch blocked a Senate hearing on three free-trade agreements, as efforts to act on the long-stalled deals collapsed in partisan rancor over aid to displaced workers.
Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee boycotted a hearing today on the trade pacts with South Korea, Colombia and Panama, denying Democrats a quorum and a chance to advance the measures that have languished since 2007. The Republicans said President Barack Obama and Democrats included aid to workers who lose jobs to overseas competition over their objections.