In Speech, Obama Requests New Trade Powers

The Wall Street Journal (online registration required): President Obama provided a measure of relief to backers of free trade and international business by using Tuesday’s State of the Union address to ask for powers that would smooth the passage of free-trade agreements.

Legislation conveying the powers, known as fast-track or trade-promotion authority, was introduced this month in Congress but has faced opposition from many Democrats, as well as some conservative Republicans.

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