Senate Finance Committee Accepts China Trade Bill

US Senate Finance Committee members on Wednesday agreed to accept a landmark China trade bill passed by the House of Representatives and seek quick passage by the full Senate, a spokeswoman said.

Finance Committee members met informally behind closed doors on Wednesday to review the bill, which would grant China permanent normal trade relations as part of its bid to join the World Trade Organisation, passed by the House last month despite stiff opposition from labour unions.

The House bill included provisions not included in a Senate version that would set up a commission to monitor Chinese human rights and strengthen safeguards against import surges.

The committee did not take a formal vote in what is largely a procedural move, but panel members agreed to send the House bill to the full Senate for a vote, said committee spokeswoman Ginny Flynn. That should speed up the process and eliminate the need for a vote in the House on any kind of compromise between the two bodies.

Senate panel members agreed that they would like the bill to go before the full Senate as quickly as possible, she said. They would also oppose any attempt to amend the bill.

Any change to the legislation would require a second vote in the House where the issue bitterly divided Democrats concerned about losing labour's support in an election year.

A group of moderate Democrats urged Senate Republican leader Trent Lott and Democratic leader Tom Daschle to schedule a vote on the legislation before Congress' July 4 recess and pledged to block any effort to amend the bill.

"It is important that we maintain the momentum that accompanied the passage of this legislation in the House," the letter said.

"In view of the unique legislative situation and the importance of avoiding a conference, we will work with the managers of the bill to defeat all amendments."

While Senate passage of the China trade bill is assured, it could face delays if some key Republican lawmakers have their way. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens of Alaska and Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky have already said annual spending bills should take priority and the China trade bill could wait until September.

However, moderate Democrats appealed for bipartisan cooperation in an effort by both parties to prevent the bill becoming ensnared in election-year politics and deal making.

"This bill is too important for the regular horse trading that goes around here," said Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. "We need to get this done sooner as opposed to later."



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