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U.S. Senate to Vote on China Trade Bill in July: Senate Leader
The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on a bill granting permanent normal trade relations status to China in July, Senate majority Leader Trent Lott said at a news briefing Tuesday.
"We do expect before we go out for the August recess period to take up the marriage penalty tax elimination,... and the China trade bill," Lott said.
The majority leader said the Senate would take up the bill once lawmakers had completed work on a number of spending bills that would fund the federal government.
"We have to get the bulk of these appropriations bills done before we can go to the China trade bill. So hopefully we can get to that in July," he said in response to a question about the bill on PNTR with China.
The House approved the bill granting PNTR status to China on May 24.
Local reports said President Bill Clinton is expected to meet with senators later Tuesday at the White House to press for passage of the trade bill.
The meeting is considered to be part of the White House effort to persuade Lott to schedule a final vote on the bill.
"Every day of delay damages fundamental interests of the United States, both economic and strategic," U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky told reporters after a Senate hearing.
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