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December 5, 2007
Senate Approves Peru Trade Deal
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 — The Senate gave overwhelming final approval Tuesday to a trade agreement with Peru, as most Democrats joined nearly all Republicans in handing President Bush an unusual victory but leaving prospects unclear for other trade deals.

The 77-to-18 vote sends the bill to President Bush for his signature.

The administration expressed hope Tuesday that the Peru vote might pave the way for approval of deals with Panama, Colombia and South Korea that Mr. Bush seeks before he leaves office in 2009. But in the current climate of anxiety over trade, that appears unlikely.

“With the strong votes by both chambers of Congress,â€