President Barack Obama has moved one stepped closer to the passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a massive trade deal currently being negotiated between the U.S. and 11 Latin American and Asian countries.

President Obama and Republicans who support the TPP deal say it would expand trade and investment for the U.S. while providing a boost to U.S. exports and small businesses. However, trade unions, environmental groups and high-profile Democrats like Sen. Elizabeth Warren have publicly bashed Obama for supporting the deal, arguing that it would send American jobs overseas and put American workers in direct competition with low-paid workers in other countries. They also say the deal champions corporate interests and lobbyist groups and could jeopardize Internet freedom, labor rights, access to affordable medicine and the safety protections that keep food and water clean.

In order to pass the controversial bill, Obama requested Congress to first approve "fast track" legislation, also known as trade promotion authority, which would give him the power to negotiate trade agreement that cannot be changed by Congress.

On Friday, the GOP-controlled Senate approved "fast track," empowering Obama to present trade deals that Congress can either ratify or reject, without making any changes, reports The Associated Press. As a result, his trade bills will no longer be subjected to pass the 60-vote congressional hurdle. Instead, TPP and future trade deals can be presented to Congress for a simple up or down vote. In turn, this greatly increases Obama's chances to get TPP passed by Congress.

The approval of "fast track" in the Senate also marked a major victory for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who declared that passing the global trade bill would be a huge achievement of the 114th Congress.

After the Senate votes on final passage, "fast track" will face an uphill battle in the House, where the majority of Democrats have taken a strong stance against it, reports The Hill.