U.S. Senate confirms Trump trade representative ahead of NAFTA talksWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, a critical position ahead of renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Delays in Senate confirmation of veteran trade lawyer Robert Lighthizer more than 100 days after his nomination have set back Trump’s trade agenda, including the start of talks about revamping one of the world’s biggest trading blocs. Lighthizer won support from both Republicans and Democrats in the Republican-led Senate on Thursday, with an 82-14 vote to confirm his nomination.   The administration has had to wait for Lighthizer to be in place before triggering the formal process to begin renegotiating NAFTA.  It was not immediately clear when the White House would begin that process. To do so, the Trump administration must send a letter to Congress declaring its intention to launch  negotiations in 90 days. The Republican president has said the 23-year-old trade pact devastated U.S. workers and has vowed to tear it up if he fails to get a better deal.  Some Democrats, while critical of Trump’s views on trade, said they were confident Lighthizer would work to help U.S. workers. “He’s a real pro,” Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, said before voting in favor. Lighthizer’s approval came despite the objections of two Republican senators, John McCain of Arizona and Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who said they were worried he did not appreciate NAFTA’s benefits. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, in charge of trade ties with the United States, said she did not expect the administration would move immediately on NAFTA. “I imagine that Ambassador Lighthizer may need to spend a bit of time in consultations prior to formally triggering that 90-day period,” she said on a conference call on Thursday night.      While the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico has ballooned since NAFTA was enacted in 1994, U.S. farmers have profited from exports to America’s southern neighbor, while automakers have cut costs by building cross-border supply chains that benefit from lower Mexican wages.  Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican who chairs the Senate Finance Committee and voted in favor of Lighthizer’s nomination, also urged the incoming trade representative not to put at risk the gains NAFTA had brought.  “There are definitely opportunities to update and improve NAFTA,” Hatch said. “But it is important that the administration follow the spirit of the Hippocratic oath: First do no harm.” politicsNews
senate confirms trump trade representative ahead bafta talkswashington reuters the senate thursday approved president donald trump nominee trade representative critical position ahead negotiations north american free trade agreement canada mexico delays senate confirmation veteran trade lawyer robert lighthizer days nomination set back trump trade agenda including start talks renaming one world biggest trading block lighthizer support republicans democrats senate thursday vote confirm nomination the administration wait lighthizer place triggering formal process begin negotiating bafta it immediately clear white house would begin process to trump administration must send letter congress declaring intention launch negotiations days the republican president said trade pact devastated workers vowed tear fails get better deal some democrats critical trump views trade said confident lighthizer would work help workers he real pro senator ron widen democrat oregon said voting favor lighthizer approval came despite objections two republican senators john mccain arizona ben masse nebraska said worried appreciate bafta benefits canadian foreign minister christian ireland charge trade ties united states said expect administration would move immediately bafta i imagine ambassador lighthizer may need spend bit time consultations prior formally triggering period said conference call thursday night while trade deficit mexico balloon since bafta enacted farmers profited exports america southern neighbor automakers cut costs building supply chains benefit lower mexican wages train hatch utah republican chairs senate finance committee voted favor lighthizer nomination also urged incoming trade representative put risk gains bafta brought there definitely opportunities update improve bafta hatch said but important administration follow spirit hippocratic oath first politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. Senate confirms Trump trade representative ahead of NAFTA talksWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, a critical position ahead of renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Delays in Senate confirmation of veteran trade lawyer Robert Lighthizer more than 100 days after his nomination have set back Trump’s trade agenda, including the start of talks about revamping one of the world’s biggest trading blocs. Lighthizer won support from both Republicans and Democrats in the Republican-led Senate on Thursday, with an 82-14 vote to confirm his nomination.   The administration has had to wait for Lighthizer to be in place before triggering the formal process to begin renegotiating NAFTA.  It was not immediately clear when the White House would begin that process. To do so, the Trump administration must send a letter to Congress declaring its intention to launch  negotiations in 90 days. The Republican president has said the 23-year-old trade pact devastated U.S. workers and has vowed to tear it up if he fails to get a better deal.  Some Democrats, while critical of Trump’s views on trade, said they were confident Lighthizer would work to help U.S. workers. “He’s a real pro,” Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, said before voting in favor. Lighthizer’s approval came despite the objections of two Republican senators, John McCain of Arizona and Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who said they were worried he did not appreciate NAFTA’s benefits. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, in charge of trade ties with the United States, said she did not expect the administration would move immediately on NAFTA. “I imagine that Ambassador Lighthizer may need to spend a bit of time in consultations prior to formally triggering that 90-day period,” she said on a conference call on Thursday night.      While the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico has ballooned since NAFTA was enacted in 1994, U.S. farmers have profited from exports to America’s southern neighbor, while automakers have cut costs by building cross-border supply chains that benefit from lower Mexican wages.  Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican who chairs the Senate Finance Committee and voted in favor of Lighthizer’s nomination, also urged the incoming trade representative not to put at risk the gains NAFTA had brought.  “There are definitely opportunities to update and improve NAFTA,” Hatch said. “But it is important that the administration follow the spirit of the Hippocratic oath: First do no harm.” politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: senate confirms trump trade representative ahead bafta talkswashington reuters the senate thursday approved president donald trump nominee trade representative critical position ahead negotiations north american free trade agreement canada mexico delays senate confirmation veteran trade lawyer robert lighthizer days nomination set back trump trade agenda including start talks renaming one world biggest trading block lighthizer support republicans democrats senate thursday vote confirm nomination the administration wait lighthizer place triggering formal process begin negotiating bafta it immediately clear white house would begin process to trump administration must send letter congress declaring intention launch negotiations days the republican president said trade pact devastated workers vowed tear fails get better deal some democrats critical trump views trade said confident lighthizer would work help workers he real pro senator ron widen democrat oregon said voting favor lighthizer approval came despite objections two republican senators john mccain arizona ben masse nebraska said worried appreciate bafta benefits canadian foreign minister christian ireland charge trade ties united states said expect administration would move immediately bafta i imagine ambassador lighthizer may need spend bit time consultations prior formally triggering period said conference call thursday night while trade deficit mexico balloon since bafta enacted farmers profited exports america southern neighbor automakers cut costs building supply chains benefit lower mexican wages train hatch utah republican chairs senate finance committee voted favor lighthizer nomination also urged incoming trade representative put risk gains bafta brought there definitely opportunities update improve bafta hatch said but important administration follow spirit hippocratic oath first politicsnews