By Adam Entous
WASHINGTON, March 15 (Reuters) - The Clinton administration on Wednesday asked Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives to schedule a vote on a landmark trade agreement with China before June, whether they have the votes to ensure passage or not.
Commerce Secretary William Daley said it was a gamble worth taking, since it could put pressure on wavering House Democrats to support the market-opening pact.
"I would hope that, at some point soon, a vote is scheduled on a certain date. I think that's the way to focus everyone and ... really get the intensity," he told reporters.
But Republican leaders have thus far rebuffed the administration's request, demanding that President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore round up 80 to 100 Democratic votes before a vote is scheduled.
"Get me 80 to 100 Democrats and I'll pass the bill," said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Archer.
Archer urged Clinton to deliver a nationwide television address explaining the benefits of the trade pact to the American public. "He can do this, he must do this, because without his involvement our historic opportunity will be lost," the Texas Republican told reporters.
The trade agreement, which would pave the way for China's entry into the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO), calls on Beijing to open a wide range of markets, from agriculture to telecommunications.
In exchange for China opening its markets, the White House says Congress must grant Beijing permanent normal trade relations (NTR) -- a status it now gets only after an annual congressional review.
The administration has asked Congress to approve permanent NTR by June, fearing further delay would bog it down in election politics. The U.S. general election is in November.
But many lawmakers in the House, including much of Clinton's Democratic Party, are reluctant to grant China this status because of concerns about human rights and opposition from U.S. labor unions, who say the trade pact will destroy American jobs.
Daley conceded the White House does not yet have the 218 votes it needs to ensure passage in the House. But he added that was no excuse to say "we're not willing to go in and run the risk."
"If I had to bet right now, we'll go into that vote, into that chamber, not quite sure if we have 218 or they have 218," Daley said.
For their part, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and other Republican leaders say they are unwilling to take the risk of scheduling a vote without enough support in hand.
"As soon as the president's comfortable that he has enough votes on his side, we'll be happy to set a date," Hastert, an Illinois Republican, said. "But we need to make sure, when we do move forward, that we have the votes lined up. I will not bring a bill to the floor that we can't pass.":
