Alert

WASHINGTON • The drive to expand exports is sidetracked like just about everything in polarized Washington, but two Republican senators say they have found a way to hasten action on long-stalled trade agreements.

Sens. Roy Blunt of Missouri and Rob Portman of Ohio produced a letter this morning promising that a dozen Republican senators won't stand in the way of legislation to help workers who lose their jobs due to foreign competition.

Skirmishing over that legislation, known as Trade Adjustment Assistance, has blocked consideration of free trade deals with Korea, Colombia and Panama.

Blunt said that each of those agreements holds the potential for big rewards for Missouri, not just for beef, pork and poultry exports but for many other products as well.

"This is about opening those markets to products produced by the American workforce, whether it's the agriculture workforce, or the manufacturing workforce or the service industry workforce," Blunt said at a news conference in the Capitol.

The GOP senators' vow to help Democrats break a Republican filibuster could, in theory, let the trade deals come up at any time.

But floor action before summer adjournment in two weeks appears unlikely with Congress mired in seemingly round-the-clock negotiations to forestall government default on obligations.

Blunt and Portman this morning made the case for haste, both for economic and political reasons.

A newly completed trade deal between the European Union and Korea has dramatically increased European exports, they said. Likewise, a free trade deal between Canada and Colombia takes effect Aug. 15.

Blunt observed that action is needed soon not just because of the approaching American elections, but also due to controversy in Korea over the deal with the United States.

In Korea, opposition to the deal from labor unions, farmers and students has been growing. Korea holds its National Assembly elections next spring.

"The closer we get to their election, the harder it is for Korean legislators to do their part. We need to get this done," Blunt said.

In Washington, supporters of the trade agreements must contend with a reservoir of mistrust and outright opposition from labor unions, who cite negative impacts on American workers from the 17-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement.

President Barack Obama, some experts believe, may be unwilling to move forward with the trade deals next year when he will need labor, a core constituency, in his re-election bid.

"It doesn't get any easier when you get closer to an election," Portman said. "And we're going to have plenty on our plate this fall...There's never an easy time to do anything in this place."