White House ready to send Congress key trade deals, including accord with Panama

The White House said it is ready to send Congress three coveted free-trade agreements, meeting the demands of Republican lawmakers and cementing trade as an integral part of President Obama's economic agenda.

The administration could start technical discussions with congressional staff on the deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama as early as Thursday. The technical discussions are the first step in the process Congress must undertake before approving the pacts.

Original source: Bloomberg