(VOVworld) - The US House on Thursday voted to advance legislation to give President Barack Obama fast-track authority to negotiate a Pacific trade deal, reviving the prospects for the President to achieve a key element of his agenda. The bill, known as Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), was passed by a razor-thin 10-vote margin with 218 votes in favor and 208 against and is not linked to the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) bill.  The vote was split along partisan lines, with Republicans overwhelmingly voting in favor at 190-50, and Democrats being strongly against with a 28-158. The sister legislation to the TPA, the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), would provide assistance to workers who lose jobs as a consequence of the trade deals and foreign competition. Initially lawmakers were set to vote once again on the TAA this week, but on Thursday they agreed to vote again on standalone TPA.