The implementing legislation for the trade pact will now head to the Senate, though Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, has said he will wait to hold a vote until the conclusion of an impeachment trial. Mr. Lighthizer has said that his goal was to write a new kind of trade agreement that could win the support of a majority of both Democrats and Republicans. Through the last two years of negotiations, he consulted with Democrats, labor unions and progressive groups to find common ground between their priorities and those of the Trump administration, as well as Canada and Mexico. But Democrats would not support the agreement until they had secured critical changes to labor, environmental and enforcement provisions. And after regaining the majority in January, House Democrats knew they had substantial leverage.

Source: New York Times December 19, 2019 21:38 UTC