WASHINGTON - Six years into his time in office, President Barack Obama rarely has been able to claim Republican support. But at a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, it was the GOP, not Democrats, who roundly supported giving Obama more authority.

WASHINGTON � Six years into his time in office, President Barack Obama rarely has been able to claim Republican support.

But at a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, it was the GOP, not Democrats, who roundly supported giving Obama more authority.

Specifically, Republicans seek to give Obama �fast track� authority that will allow him to send trade-agreement proposals to Congress for a simple �yes or no� vote with no amendments. Past presidents beginning with Richard Nixon have been able to use such authority; the last agreement expired in 2007.

Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Genoa Township, chairman of the panel�s subcommittee on trade, is among supporters of such authority, saying it would make it easier for the U.S. to export to other countries.

�We have a number of major negotiations ongoing right now, and I for one want to make sure you and your team have all the tools necessary to show our trading partners that there is a strong partnership between this administration and this Congress,� he told U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman.

Tiberi says the plan would give Congress �ample� opportunity to be engaged in negotiations while still making it easier to pass such agreements.

Tiberi joins Republicans including Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a former U.S. trade representative, in wanting to give Obama such authority.

�Ninety-five percent of the world�s customers live outside the U.S.,� said Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and the 2012 GOP vice-presidential nominee. � I believe Americans can compete with anybody if given a chance. ... The fact is, if we don�t write the rules of the global economy, other countries will.�

But Democrats � including Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio � have concerns, saying past agreements have ultimately hurt American workers and manufacturers. Brown, for example, has called for �a new framework� for congressional-president cooperation on such trade agreements.

Democrats argue that Congress must have full authority to weigh in before passing such deals.

�Congress must not give up its leverage,� said Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the House and Ways Committee.

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