Governors express support for trade deals, TAA

Governors from 23 states, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming and two territories Guam and Puerto Rico signed the letter. 

In a separate letter on Monday, 41 Senate Democrats told the White House that they are backing a move by the Obama administration calling for reauthorization of an aid program that helps U.S. workers displaced by trade before moving ahead with three pending free trade agreements. 

Led by Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.), Robert Casey (D-Pa.), Jeff Bingaman (N.M.) and Maria Cantwell (Wash.) — sent the letter to President Obama expressing support for his decision not to submit the pending agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea to Congress until a deal is struck to extend a long-term extension TAA.