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House passes Russian trade deal, but Moscow isn’t happy

McClatchy

Ignoring threats of retaliation from Moscow, the House of Representatives passed a long-delayed trade deal with Russia on Friday, adding language aimed at cracking down on human rights abuses.

The agreement, a priority for President Barack Obama and business groups, would permanently normalize trade relations with Russia, allowing the United States to increase ties with a nation that boasts 140 million consumers.

In a rare show of bipartisanship, the House voted 365-43 to approve the bill. It now goes to the Senate, where final passage is expected.

As part of the deal, the House agreed to repeal a 1974 law authored by former Democratic Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson of Washington state that had restricted trade with the former Soviet Union because it wasn’t allowing Jews to emigrate.

Supporters said that was no longer an issue and it was time to normalize permanent trade relations with Russia. Currently, trade is allowed on a year-by-year basis if the president certifies that Russia is complying with the 1974 law.

“Today’s Russia is not yesterday’s Soviet Union,” said Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California, who’s a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.