by Jessica Wehrman
Six years into his time in office, President Barack Obama rarely has been able to claim Republican support.
But at a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, it was the GOP, not Democrats, who roundly supported giving Obama more authority.
Specifically, Republicans seek to give Obama "fast track" authority that will allow him to send trade-agreement proposals to Congress for a simple "yes or no" vote with no amendments. Past presidents beginning with Richard Nixon have been able to use such authority; the last agreement expired in 2007.
Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Genoa Township, chairman of the panel's subcommittee on trade, is among supporters of such authority, saying it would make it easier for the U.S. to export to other countries.
"We have a number of major negotiations ongoing right now, and I for one want to make sure you and your team have all the tools necessary to show our trading partners that there is a strong partnership between this administration and this Congress," he told U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman.
Tiberi says the plan would give Congress "ample" opportunity to be engaged in negotiations while still making it easier to pass such agreements.
Tiberi joins Republicans including Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a former U.S. trade representative, in wanting to give Obama such authority.
"Ninety-five percent of the world's customers live outside the U.S.," said Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and the 2012 GOP vice-presidential nominee. " I believe Americans can compete with anybody if given a chance. ... The fact is, if we don't write the rules of the global economy, other countries will."
But Democrats -- including Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio -- have concerns, saying past agreements have ultimately hurt American workers and manufacturers. Brown, for example, has called for "a new framework" for congressional-president cooperation on such trade agreements.
Democrats argue that Congress must have full authority to weigh in before passing such deals.
"Congress must not give up its leverage," said Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the House and Ways Committee.