10 more months

Despite the hemming and hawing, the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act was extended by the U.S. Congress for another 10 months. Democrats had pushed for longer, but Republicans want it tied more to passing a Colombia FTA. I take this to mean that if no FTA is passed this year, the Republicans (I assume in the Senate, given the ability to prevent a vote, though maybe there are also enough wavering Democrats in the House) will block the next renewal.

But, of course, that means passing a new and controversial FTA in the midst of a presidential campaign, which itself is occurring the context of a sluggish economy, during which voters are naturally going to be even more leery than usual of trade deals.