Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown got 62 of his fellow senators to vote for the bill. It would require trade deals to calculate the question of whether a country’s currency  is being kept artificially low – along with its export prices.

Now he needs the House to go along with the bill. And he says he he’s spoken with  Dave Camp, the Republican Michigan congressman who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee.

  “And he supports it. But Speaker Boehner has not yet been convinced. And we know that it will pass overwhelmingly, bipartisanly, if we can get it scheduled for a floor vote in the House.”

Camp said last week that his committee will examine Chinese trade issues sometime this month, and that the hearings will go beyond currency.

Ohio’s Republican Sen. Rob Portman also voted for the bill, and says others need to speak up as well. 

“I’m going to continue to promote it. And you know I’ve also said that we need to be clear that China is an important trading partner. It’s an incredibly important export market for Ohio. It’s our third largest export market. So I’m not saying we shouldn’t be trading with China, but I’m saying it should be on a level playing field where we have fairness. And frankly, I think it’s time for the White House to step up and let us know their view on the legislation.”

Portman was U.S. trade representative for President George  Bush. The Obama White House has said that diplomacy may be more effective than the law in addressing the currency issue.