Russia trade bill likely headed to Obama desk

A bill granting normal trade relations to Russia is likely headed to President Obama's desk for his signature after key objections have been dropped in the Senate.

The Senate is on course to vote on granting Russian permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) on Thursday. The bill also contains human rights provisions aimed at punishing those accused of murdering lawyer Sergei Magnitsky and other human rights violations. 

Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) said on the Senate floor that they are willing to look to other bills to try to make the Magnitsky provisions apply to all countries.

"I will not let perfection become the enemy of the good," Kyl said. 

"I hope we will make this statutorily global. We will have that debate at a later date," Cardin said. 

The House bill on the Senate floor only applies human rights provisions to Russia, and attempts to amend it could have led to a stalemate with the House. Big business lobbyists, opposed to the sanctions in the bill, have been keen to limit the Magnitsky provisions just to Russia. 

Russia joined the World Trade Organization this summer, and until the U.S. grants normal relations to Russia, U.S. exporters cannot benefit from concessions Russia made in order to enter the WTO. Under Jackson-Vanik amendment from the 1980s, PNTR is denied to Russia over the Soviet Union's denial of exit visas to Jews wanting to emigrate to Israel. 

The main objection to the bill was on the human rights issue. Even trade skeptics like Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) are on board given concessions the Obama administration has been able to wring from Russia in the WTO process. 

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