(VOVworld) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday failed to approve the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) legislation, a move which deters the US Congress from granting President Barack Obama the fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals called “Trade Promotion Authority” (TPA).

US President Barack Obama (Photo: VNA)

The U.S. House rejected the trade measure in 302-126 vote minutes after House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said she would vote against the TAA. Under the rules for considering the trade package in the House, the TAA had been packaged with the trade promotion authority (TPA) bill, which would grant the president the fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended by Congress. A vote against the TAA means the trade package, which passed the Senate last month, could not become law for now, though the House on Friday voted 219-211 in favor of the TPA bill. Liberal Democrats and activists from labor unions have launched campaigns in recent weeks to block the TPA legislation, arguing that trade deals have hurt US workers and increased income inequality.