The US Senate did what was expected on Wednesday in confirming Michael Froman as the next US trade representative. With only four senators against and 93 in favour, it was unusually smooth by Capitol Hill’s standards. And rightly so. As a veteran of the Obama and Clinton administrations Mr Froman is well known to counterparts and has the ear of the Oval Office. And for the first time in years, Washington is pursuing a big trade agenda both in the Asia Pacific and across the Atlantic. It will be a far tougher battle to convince Congress to pass fast-track negotiating authority – an essential tool since Congress guarantees an “up or down” vote on any deal. Passing it should be a priority. Having so strongly endorsed Mr Froman, it would be a travesty were Congress to send him half-naked into the negotiating chamber.
美國參議院確認邁克爾?費羅曼(Michael Froman)為美國下一任貿易代表，此舉符合外界周三的預期。投票結果為93票贊成、4票反對。以國會山的標準來衡量，這項任命的通過可謂異乎尋常的順利。確實應當如此。費羅曼是奧巴馬(Obama)和克林頓(Clinton)政府的資深成員，在貿易代表圈子中知名度很高，而且說的話在總統面前很有分量。美國政府目前正同時在亞太地區和大西洋對岸推進龐大的貿易議程，這是多年來的頭一次。要說服國會給予費羅曼在談判中的“快車道”(fast-track)授權，將面臨一場艱難得多的戰役。這種授權至關重要，因為國會保證會就任何協議進行“直接”表決(up or down vote)。讓國會同意給予費羅曼這種授權應該是當務之急。既然國會如此強烈地支持費羅曼擔任貿易代表，如果讓他兩手空空地走上談判桌，那簡直是滑天下之大稽。