To some, the prospects for the proposed transatlantic and transpacific trade pacts appear to have dimmed. Harry Reid, who leads the Democratic majority in the Senate, announced his opposition to taking up proposed legislation to restore a “fast-track” process for congressional approval of such agreements. At a retreat last Friday, Democrats in the House of Representatives are reported to have expressed similar reservations. The previous legislation, which had been instrumental in almost every significant trade agreement signed by the US since 1974, expired six years ago and has not been replaced.
对一些人而言，拟议中的跨大西洋和跨太平洋贸易协议的前景似乎已然黯淡。美国参议院多数党领袖、民主党参议员哈里•里德(Harry Reid)宣布，他反对讨论旨在恢复国会“快速道”(fast-track)批准这类贸易协议的立法议案。在最近一个闭门会议期间，众议院民主党人据报道表达了类似的反对意见。以往的“快速道”法律在自1974年以来美国签订的几乎所有重大贸易协定中起到了重要作用，但该法在6年前失效，至今未被新法接替。