A key U.S. Senate committee postponed a hearing on trade and its chairman said talks on the final form of a bill to streamline the passage of trade deals through Congress were ongoing. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, a Republican, said he was still in discussions with Senator Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the panel. Wyden has said he wants the legislation, which restricts Congress to a yes-or-no vote on trade deals in exchange for setting negotiating goals, to lay out a framework which is more transparent and provide more oversight. “Given concerns expressed by Senator Wyden, we’re going to postpone tomorrow’s hearing and continue our discussion on how best to advance America’s trade agenda, including legislation to renew job-creating Trade Promotion Authority,” Hatch said in a statement. Lawmakers have raised concerns about their access to negotiating texts for trade deals and how Congress can make sure that U.S. trade officials deliver on negotiating goals. Many on both sides of the U.S. political aisle are particularly keen to see enforceable rules to punish currency cheats written into trade deals, for example, by allowing Congress to suspend the so-called fast-track procedure if it thinks objectives are not fully met. (Reuters)