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An effort strongly backed by Bernie Sanders
Bernard (Bernie) SandersBooker to keynote Dem gala in Iowa Bernie Sanders billionaire welfare taxation defies all economic logic Overnight Health Care: Obama calls 'Medicare for all' a 'good' idea | Study finds modest ObamaCare premiums hikes for next year | Trump officials consider South Carolina plan to defund Planned Parenthood MORE to work opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal into the Democratic platform fell short on Saturday, according to numerous reports.
Bernard (Bernie) SandersBooker to keynote Dem gala in Iowa Bernie Sanders billionaire welfare taxation defies all economic logic Overnight Health Care: Obama calls 'Medicare for all' a 'good' idea | Study finds modest ObamaCare premiums hikes for next year | Trump officials consider South Carolina plan to defund Planned Parenthood MORE to work opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal into the Democratic platform fell short on Saturday, according to numerous reports. ADVERTISEMENT
Sanders and his allies collected nearly 800,000 signatures on an anti-TPP petition and delivered them to the platform meeting in large cardboard boxes.
But his proposed amendment, which would have opposed a vote on the trade agreement, was defeated 116-64 by the platform committee.
Most Sanders delegates spoke against the partnership agreement, and none of presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonSan Juan mayor endorses Cynthia Nixon in New York gov race Hillary Clinton thanks Ralph Lauren at 50th anniversary show Trump tax law takes center stage in Nevada Senate race MORE's allies advocated for the deal, which she has likewise criticized on the campaign trail.
Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonSan Juan mayor endorses Cynthia Nixon in New York gov race Hillary Clinton thanks Ralph Lauren at 50th anniversary show Trump tax law takes center stage in Nevada Senate race MORE's allies advocated for the deal, which she has likewise criticized on the campaign trail. "We must empower every representative of the Democratic Party to speak clearly against the TPP," said Ben Jealous, a former head of the NAACP and a Sanders delegate.
Robert Kraig, a Sanders supporter from Wisconsin, said: “We’ve had no speech in favor of TPP, but we can’t bring ourselves to say that we oppose TPP?"
The platform draft as it stands recognizes that there are "a diversity of views" on the deal within the party.
The platform committee's decision means that the fight over the TPP is likely to continue at the convention later this month.
Sanders supporter Jonathan Tasini told CNN "there's absolutely no doubt" that his side will file a "minority report," and challenge the trade agreement at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
