<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="http://thehill.com/policy/finance/242330-mcconnell-senate-to-pass-fast-track-this-week" style="color: purple;" class="">http://thehill.com/policy/finance/242330-mcconnell-senate-to-pass-fast-track-this-week</a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; background-color: white;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 29.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">McConnell: Senate to pass fast-track soon<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">The Hill<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">By Jesse Byrnes<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">May 17, 2015<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Sunday that the Senate would pass legislation aimed at facilitating pending trade agreements being sought by the Obama administration.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 15pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; widows: 1;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: white;" class="">"Yes, we'll pass it. We'll pass it later this week," a confident McConnell said of the fast-track legislation on ABC's "This Week."</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">The Senate<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/242093-senate-votes-to-start-trade-debate" target="_blank" style="color: purple;" class=""><b class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="">voted last Thursday</span></b></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>to begin debate on the package, two days after Democrats in the upper chamber moved to block debate on the so-called Trade Promotion Authority, a top priority for President Obama.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">The legislation would allow the Obama administration to fast-track future trade deals, including those they are currently negotiating with countries in Asia and Europe, by having Congress give an up-or-down vote.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">McConnell acknowledged that some of his colleagues are "somewhat squeamish" on giving Obama the authority, "given his expansive view of his powers on so many other issues."<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">"But this is a Trade Promotion Authority not just for President Obama, but for the next president as well. This is a six-year Trade Promotion Authority bill that will give the next president an opportunity to enter into additional trade agreements with other countries around the world," McConnell said on ABC.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Many liberal Democrats, especially in the House, have voiced their opposition to a trade deal the administration hopes to secure with 11 other Pacific Rim nations, the Trans-Pacific Partnership.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 15pt; background-color: white; widows: 1;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), a co-sponsor of the fast-track legislation in the House, similarly<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://thehill.com/policy/finance/242323-paul-ryan-fast-track-gaining-steam-in-house" target="_blank" style="color: purple;" class=""><b class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="">voiced optimism</span></b></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>about the trade initiative on Sunday, saying it was "gaining a lot of steam" in the House.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></body></html>