As of late June 2011, the Administration of President Obama and the U.S. Congress agreed to begin ratifying bilateral trade agreements with the countries of South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. Experts suggest that the adoption of these accords will pave the way for discussing the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik amendment that hinders Russian-American trade relations. When the amendment is repealed, the United States will be in a position to enter into Permanent Normalized Trade Relations with Russia.