(Reuters) — U.S. senators struck a bipartisan deal to allow a bill to fast track trade deals through Congress to move in parallel with aid for workers hurt by trade, opening the door to introducing the bill as soon as Thursday, they said.
U.S. Senate finance committee chairman Orrin Hatch said a deal with the panel’s top Democrat, Ron Wyden, was close.
At the start of a committee hearing on trade, Hatch and Wyden said the committee could reconvene later on Thursday if needed to consider legislation.
U.S. trade representative Michael Froman said on Thursday getting authority to move trade deals through Congress quickly would allow the Obama administration to move trade agreements forward.
U.S. treasury secretary Jack Lew said although he had not seen details of a new bill, which could be announced later on Thursday, provisions in previous drafts to make rules against currency manipulation a negotiating objective would send a “powerful” signal to trading partners.
