Senate passes worker aid bills tied to free trade

In an attempt to make progress on three languishing free trade agreements, the Senate on Thursday passed legislation aimed at helping American workers who lose their jobs because of foreign trade.

The Senate passed the extension of funding for the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program (TAA) by a vote of 70 to 27. Democrats, including President Obama, have said Congress must extend funding for the TAA program before approving pending trade agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea -- agreements that have been in the works for years.

President Obama has said he will not send the trade agreements to Congress before the TAA funding is passed. House Speaker John Boehner released a statement on Thursday evening, after the Senate passed the TAA bill, saying the House will take up the bill once Mr. Obama sends the free trade agreements to Congress.

"If the President submits these agreements promptly, I'm confident that all four bills can be signed into law by mid-October," Boehner said.