WASHINGTON: The White House said on Monday it could still win congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact before President Barack Obama leaves office, and warned that failing to do so would undermine US leadership in the region.
"The president is going to make a strong case that we have made progress and there is a path for us to get this done before the president leaves office," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a news briefing ahead of Obama's trip to Asia this week.
Obama has made the 12-nation free trade deal the centerpiece of a diplomatic "pivot" to Asia, but the prospects for congressional approval have looked increasingly dim, with both major presidential candidates - Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump - standing opposed.
US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday the Senate would not vote on the pact this year, punting it to the next president, who will take office in January.
The White House said on Monday that Obama would make the case for the TPP during his visit to Asia, including in a speech he has scheduled in Laos on Sept. 6.
Administration officials argue a failure to approve the trade pact would cede ground to China in the region and allow it to increasingly set the terms of world trade.
"It would be seen as a significant setback, I think, for American leadership if we don't move forward," Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser, told the briefing.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"The president is going to make a strong case that we have made progress and there is a path for us to get this done before the president leaves office," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a news briefing ahead of Obama's trip to Asia this week.
Obama has made the 12-nation free trade deal the centerpiece of a diplomatic "pivot" to Asia, but the prospects for congressional approval have looked increasingly dim, with both major presidential candidates - Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump - standing opposed.
The White House said on Monday that Obama would make the case for the TPP during his visit to Asia, including in a speech he has scheduled in Laos on Sept. 6.
Advertisement
"It would be seen as a significant setback, I think, for American leadership if we don't move forward," Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser, told the briefing.
© Thomson Reuters 2016
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Joe Biden To Serve Full Second Term If Re-Elected: White House What White House Said On Parkinson's Doctor Visiting 8 Times In 8 Months "Run Against Me": Defiant Biden Digs In, Challenges Critics Within Party What Trump Rally Shooter Did On Last Day Of His Life Under-Fire Trainee IAS Officer Accuses Pune Collector Of Harassment "No Defamatory Remarks Against Governor": High Court To Mamata Banerjee Four In Five Americans Fear Country Is Sliding Into Chaos: Polls Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 2.39 Lakh Admission Deadline Extended For EWS And Special Needs Children Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.