The Senate votes today to end debate on fast-track — if it gets 60 backers — it will set up a final roll call on the measure later in the day or Wednesday.
As the Hill reports....
President Obama was scrambling for votes on his trade agreement on Monday, while the AFL-CIO was lobbying Democrats to oppose fast-track authority when the Senate votes on a procedural motion today.
Obama’s trade bill needs 60 votes, and he can afford no more than two Democratic defections who previously backed fast-track. As of Monday evening, he had not yet secured public promises from all the Democrats he needs.
Democratic Sens. Chris Coons (Del.), Michael Bennet (Colo.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo.) declined to say Monday evening how they would vote. Cantwell told reporters last week she would vote against fast-track because it was not attached to TAA, but her office walked back the comment Monday. Heitkamp is holding out for a guarantee that the Export-Import Bank will be reauthorized before its charter expires on June 30. Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the fourth-ranking member of the Democratic leadership and one of the leaders of the Senate’s pro-trade Democrats, declined to say how she would vote. Obama got a boost Monday afternoon, however, when Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced he would support fast-track, even untethered from TAA. Democratic Sens. Tom Carper (Del.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) and Tim Kaine (Va.) signaled Monday they will also vote for fast-track.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Sunday described an all-out lobbying offensive by the administration. “One thing I can say is the president spared no effort on this.
You can see the President "lobbying" for votes here......http://www.washingtontimes.com/...
He’s talked to more members than I can count, more senators than I can count, and everyone in the Cabinet, including myself, is doing their job to try and get this across the finish line,” he told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Monday that Obama would keep up the pressure campaign until the vote. “I do think the president will be engaged in that effort,” he said. The Senate’s vote Tuesday to end debate on fast-track — if it gets 60 backers — will set up a final roll call on the measure later in the day or Wednesday. The chamber would then vote on a package of trade preferences combined with the African Growth and Opportunity Act and TAA. That measure is expected to clear Wednesday or Thursday.Contact your senators now before the vote.
Here are the 14 Democrats in the Senate who voted for fast-tracking TPP the last time (with phone numbers and twitter handles): Contact them now - if you twitter, please twit them. (as I am not on twitter, I don't know the twitter language)
Michael Bennet (CO) 202 224 5852 @senbennetco
Maria Cantwell (WA) 202 224 3441 @cantwellpress
Ben Cardin (MD) 202 224 4524 @senatorcardin
Tom Carper (DE) 202 224 2441 @senatorcarper
Chris Coons (DE) 202 224 5042 @sencoonsoffice
Dianne Feinstein (CA) 202 224 3841 @senfeinstein
Heidi Heitkamp (ND) 202 224 2043 @senatorheitkamp
Tim Kaine (VA) 202 224 4024 @senkaineoffice
Claire McCaskill (MO) 202 224 6154 @mccaskilloffice
Patty Murray (WA) 202 224 2621 @pattymurray
Bill Nelson (FL) 202 225 5274 @senbillnelson
Jeanne Shaheen (NH) 202 224 2841 @senatorshaheen
Mark Warner (VA) 202 224 2023 @markwarner
Ron Wyden (OR) 202 224 5244 @ronwyden