Key vote clears path for China trade bill

Even supporters of the sanctions proposal agreed that any change in the Bill could kill it for the year because the House might not have the votes or the will to take it up again in the final days of this session. The House passed the bill by 40 votes last May.

At least a half-dozen amendments remained, on issues ranging from the business conduct of American companies in China to China8217;s human rights record, but none appeared to pose a major threat. A final vote could come this week.

On Thursday, the Senate defeated six other proposed amendments. The closest vote, 53-43, came on a measure by conservative Republican Senator Jesse Helms asking the president to urge China to cease forced abortions.

quot;Today we have cleared the final hurdle and moved one step closer to enacting one of the most important pieces of legislation in a generation for US-China relations,quot; said Senator Max Baucus, a Democrat who is a chief sponsor of the trade bill.

quot;This is very important momentum for final passage,quot; said Bill Morley, Chief trade lobbyist for the US Chamber of Commerce. quot;We took this amendment particularly seriously.quot;