GOP Seeks Vote on All Trade Bills at Once

Republicans in Congress want to see a vote on the trade deal with South Korea at the same time Congress votes on trade pacts with Colombia and Panama. But the White House has submitted the South Korean deal first, and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, threatened to put it on hold Wednesday, The Hill reports.

Republicans don’t object to the Korean accord, they just want it considered in conjunction with the more controversial agreements with Colombia and Panama.

The worry is that the Colombia and Panama deals will never be considered if Congress approves the South Korean agreement, which would give the president a victory to trumpet during the presidential campaign. “I don’t believe the president will ever act on the Colombia and Panama agreements unless these agreements move with Korea,” Hatch said.