The president's appearance was a final opportunity to fire back at Republicans on the issue before an expected Tuesday vote in which majority Senate Democrats are expected to be able to break the Republican roadblock.

VOA: standard.2010.07.19

It prompted urgent consultations between Clinton's traveling party and officials in Washington and was an issue in the Secretary's day-long set of meetings at the APEC forum, including a bilateral meeting late Wednesday with Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada.

VOA: standard.2009.11.11