WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Wednesday regarding the White House’s decision to move forward with three pending trade agreements:

“I welcome the White House’s announcement that the administration is ready to work with Congress on the pending trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama. Republicans have been urging the President to act on these trade deals for two years, and I was glad to see the administration is coming around on our request. Expanding trade with these allies will create jobs and opportunities here in the U.S. At a time when millions of Americans are out of work and businesses are looking for opportunities to hire, we must do everything we can to create an environment where jobs can come back. It is my hope that the President does not allow anything to get in the way of Congressional consideration of these trade agreements, and that the President will also work with us on the extension of Trade Promotion Authority so that we can continue to expand opportunities for American entrepreneurs and our farmers and ranchers.”

Background: Senate Republicans, in a letter to the Senate Majority Leader in March, wrote that “until the President submits [the Colombia and Panama] agreements to Congress for approval and commits to signing implementing legislation into law, we will use all the tools at our disposal to force action,  including withholding support for any nominee for Commerce Secretary and any trade-related nominees.”