The Senate voted Thursday morning to limit debate on a controversial bill that would grant fast-track trade authority to President Barack Obama, paving the way for final approval.
After the bill passes, either later today or on Friday, it’s expected to face a tougher vote in the House next month.
Senators introduced more than 200 amendments, but a motion to limit the debate passed by a vote of 62 to 38. Many Democrats had hoped to prolong the debate as a way to rally more opposition and ultimately defeat the bill.
The bill is aimed at making it easier for Obama to win passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed 12-nation trade pact that’s still being negotiated. Under the fast-track bill, members of Congress could not amend or filibuster the bill once it’s submitted to them for approval.