House majority leader: US trade bill needed by summer's end

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on Monday that Congress needed to pass legislation by the end of the summer giving President Barack Obama "fast-track" authority to negotiate foreign trade deals. McCarthy, a Republican, said leaders are weighing their options after a key piece of the trade package under consideration was defeated in the House last week. McCarthy said no decisions had been made about how to proceed. He declined to outline the "options" that were being considered by House Republican leaders, other than putting the same fast-track legislation up for another vote on Tuesday as originally planned. Asked by a reporter when the trade bill must be completed by the House, McCarthy responded: "I think before the summer's out you've got to have it done, and I think each week that goes on may make it a little more difficult." (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Writing by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Bill Trott and Susan Heavey)