<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/u-lawmakers-compromise-poison-pill-pacific-trade-rules-003948100.html" class="">http://news.yahoo.com/u-lawmakers-compromise-poison-pill-pacific-trade-rules-003948100.html</a><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><header class="header" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1432125634836_1232" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px; overflow: hidden; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><h1 class="headline" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1432125634836_1231" style="font-size: 35px; font-weight: 300; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 0px; line-height: 42px; -webkit-hyphens: none; padding-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-right: 40px;">U.S. lawmakers compromise on 'poison-pill' Pacific trade rules</h1></header><div class="large-sharebtns clearfix credit-bar" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1432125634836_1263" style="zoom: 1; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; padding: 10px 10px 30px; font-size: 13px;"><div class="credit-bar-inner" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1432125634836_1262" style="font-size: 11px; float: left; max-width: 100%; width: 650px;"></div></div></div><div class=""><p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1432125634836_1313" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers reached a compromise on Tuesday on rules that threatened to derail a proposed Pacific trade partnership by agreeing to soften tough provisions against human trafficking. </p><div class="body-slot-mod" style="line-height: 17.307695388793945px; float: right; clear: right; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em 10px; max-width: 300px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="yom-remote"><div class="" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"><section class="yom-mod " id="mediacontentrelatedstory" data-ylk="mid:mediacontentrelatedstory;mpos:1;elm:hdln;elmt:ct;cat:Related Stories;rspns:nav;t1:a3;t2:lst-ct;itc:0;sec:lst-ct;" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class=" story sidekick yom-related-story-module" style="margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 13px;"><div class="hd" style="margin-left: 15px;"><h2 style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: 200; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 0.55em 0px; line-height: 27px;" class="">Related Stories</h2></div><div class="bd"><div class="latest-content-inline"><ol style="padding: 0px 0px 0px 20px; margin: 0px; font-size: 14px;" class=""><li class="story list-item" data-uuid="1558ecd3-49ab-3983-8a63-7e1b2d1d4327" style="list-style: inherit; position: relative; overflow: visible; zoom: 1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 15px;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/u-administration-official-welcomes-human-trafficking-wording-trade-004059725--business.html" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:news.yahoo.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:1;test:111111;g:1558ecd3-49ab-3983-8a63-7e1b2d1d4327;pkgt:2;prov:Reuters;" data-rapid_p="1" in_tag="ol" kaspersky_status="skipped" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(50, 79, 225); margin-right: 6px;" class="">U.S. administration official welcomes human trafficking wording in trade bill</a><span class="source" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); font-size: 11px;">Reuters</span></li><li class="story list-item" data-uuid="54cfc956-86c7-3052-833a-512d87247008" style="list-style: inherit; position: relative; overflow: visible; zoom: 1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 15px;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/fast-track-trade-bill-faces-key-test-u-050754026--finance.html" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:news.yahoo.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:2;test:111111;g:54cfc956-86c7-3052-833a-512d87247008;pkgt:2;prov:Reuters;" data-rapid_p="2" in_tag="ol" kaspersky_status="skipped" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(50, 79, 225); margin-right: 6px;" class="">Senate Democrats gang up to delay fast-track trade bill</a> <span class="source" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); font-size: 11px;">Reuters</span></li><li class="story list-item" data-uuid="cff5da52-57db-3d9d-8f7e-03dc0679d476" style="list-style: inherit; position: relative; overflow: visible; zoom: 1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 15px;"><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-threatens-to-veto-trade-bill-over-currency-measure-1432068819?ru=yahoo?mod=yahoo_itp" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:www.wsj.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:3;test:111111;g:cff5da52-57db-3d9d-8f7e-03dc0679d476;pkgt:2;prov:The Wall Street Journal;" data-rapid_p="3" in_tag="ol" kaspersky_status="skipped" checked_link="http://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-threatens-to-veto-trade-bill-over-currency-measure-1432068819?ru=yahoo?mod=yahoo_itp" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(50, 79, 225); margin-right: 6px;" class="">White House Threatens to Veto Trade Bill Over Currency Measure</a> <span class="source" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); font-size: 11px;">The Wall Street Journal</span></li><li class="story list-item" data-uuid="ff34213e-a45d-314c-a1ff-9cf53e6ad8ee" style="list-style: inherit; position: relative; overflow: visible; zoom: 1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 15px;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/u-house-speaker-boehner-upbeat-fast-track-trade-143940602--business.html" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:news.yahoo.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:4;test:111111;g:ff34213e-a45d-314c-a1ff-9cf53e6ad8ee;pkgt:2;prov:Reuters;" data-rapid_p="4" in_tag="ol" kaspersky_status="skipped" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(50, 79, 225); margin-right: 6px;" class="">Senate reaches deal on trade vote after Democratic revolt against Obama</a> <span class="source" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); font-size: 11px;">Reuters</span></li><li class="story list-item" data-uuid="a0b47e92-347a-3023-b3a4-8f9d037ef425" style="list-style: inherit; position: relative; overflow: visible; zoom: 1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 15px;"><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=5372933E-F8D4-11E4-940F-78141F397F21&siteid=yhoof2" data-ylk="itc:0;tar:www.marketwatch.com;ct:1;sec:lst-ct;cpos:5;test:111111;g:a0b47e92-347a-3023-b3a4-8f9d037ef425;pkgt:2;prov:MarketWatch;" data-rapid_p="5" in_tag="ol" kaspersky_status="skipped" checked_link="http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=5372933E-F8D4-11E4-940F-78141F397F21&siteid=yhoof2" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(50, 79, 225); margin-right: 6px;" class="">Obama’s trade agenda dealt setback after Senate Democrats revolt</a> <span class="source" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); font-size: 11px;">MarketWatch</span></li></ol></div></div></div></section></div></div></div><p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1432125634836_1317" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">An amendment to legislation allowing trade deals a rapid run through Congress had been dubbed a "poison pill" for the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, a key part of the administration's outreach to Asia.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">A bill before the Senate would bar countries deemed soft on human trafficking from trade deals with expedited treatment, potentially hitting TPP partner Malaysia, which appears on a U.S. blacklist, and disqualifying the whole deal.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">Malaysia and Thailand are on the list for failing to meet minimum standards in fighting human trafficking. The countries are facing a crisis of Rohingya refugees smuggled out of Myanmar by traffickers on crammed boats headed to their shores. </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">New language offers an escape hatch for countries taking concrete steps to combat human trafficking, based on a certification from the State department.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, who designed the amendment, said it would for the first time impose real consequences on countries "turning a blind-eye" to human trafficking.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">"Should this bill pass and be signed into law, at least we will not reward nations with the worst record on reining-in human traffickers with the benefits of a fast-track to American markets," he told the Senate.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">Menendez negotiated the changed wording with the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden. </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">An Obama administration official welcomed a compromise.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">"This amendment will further encourage countries to take concrete actions to address human trafficking," the official said on condition of anonymity.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">Human rights groups expressed support for the proposed change, which is also backed by Republicans.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">"This approach strengthens U.S. leadership to prevent and end human trafficking around the world and protect the most vulnerable workers," said David Abramowitz, a vice president at Humanity United.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">Separate legislation cleared Congress on Tuesday to clamp down on human trafficking within the United States when the House of Representatives overwhelmingly backed the measure already approved by the Senate.</p><p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1432125634836_1319" style="margin: 0px 0px 1.1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px;" class="">(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Additional reporting and writing by Krista Hughes; Editing by Bill Trott, Richard Chang and Peter Cooney)</p></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></body></html>