TheCapitalNet produced a great chart of the legislative process in Congress:
Wikipedia reports the fast track process (non-tariff) as follows:
If the President transmits a fast track trade agreement to Congress, then the majority leaders of the House and Senate or their designees must introduce the implementing bill submitted by the President on the first day on which their House is in session. (19 U.S.C. § 2191(c)(1).) Senators and Representatives may not amend the President’s bill, either in committee or in the Senate or House. (19 U.S.C. § 2191(d).) The committees to which the bill has been referred have 45 days after its introduction to report the bill, or be automatically discharged, and each House must vote within 15 days after the bill is reported or discharged. (19 U.S.C. § 2191(e)(1).)
Perhaps a flowchart would be better:
Admittedly, mine is the poorer quality of the two but you can see the full procedure is far more democratic.
President Obama supports democratic processes, at least until he is in charge.
As a second term president, Obama has no further need for the voices of the people or their representatives, and it shows.
Senator Elizabeth Warren is right, this needs to be defeated now and every time it is proposed. No more non-democratic law making in secret.
PS: As I post this, news came out that the Senate has voted to not take up the fast track authority bill. Let’s hope that effort dies as non-democratic.