Obama Administration axes efforts on Trans-Pacific Partnership

WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — President Barack Obama’s trade office has largely suspended its efforts in promoting a passage of his signature Asian free-trade deal before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, saying they’ve instead left it up to the Republican leadership inside Congress to make a decision on a vote.

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office had been lobbying lawmakers for months to pass the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership deal in the post-election, lame-duck session of Congress. However, the stunning result of Tuesday’s general election resulted in Trump taking the White House and Republicans retaining majorities in Congress will stymie their efforts.

“We have worked closely with Congress to resolve outstanding issues and are ready to move forward, but this is a legislative process and it’s up to Congressional leaders as to whether and when this moves forward,” USTR spokesman Matt McAlvanah said in a statement.

Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would not consider taking up the TPP in the weeks before Trump’s inauguration, adding that its fate was in the hands of the president elect. House Speaker Paul Ryan had earlier said he would not proceed with a lame-duck vote.

Trump made his opposition of the trade deal the centerpiece of his campaign, calling it a “disaster” and “a rape of our country” that would send more jobs overseas.