The head of the National Association of Manufacturers has given a thumbs up to President Donald Trump's latest round of board nominees to the Export-Import Bank, although the group continues to campaign against the former congressman the president picked to lead the agency.

The White House announced Friday that Trump nominated Judith Pryor and Claudia Slacik to the Ex-Im Bank's board of directors. He also nominated Kimberly Reed as first vice president, to serve a term lasting until early 2021.

NAM CEO Jay Timmons praised the nominations in a statement, saying they mean "we are one step closer to a fully functioning agency."

"These nominees build on President Donald Trump's vigorous and outspoken support of American manufacturing workers and the Ex-Im Bank," Timmons said. "And manufacturers urge the Senate to quickly take up these three nominations as well as the previously announced nomination of Spencer Bachus."

However, NAM remains adamantly opposed to Trump's nomination for former Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) as president of Ex-Im Bank. Garrett is a long-time critic of the agency who argued for its elimination in the past.

"President Trump understands exactly the critical role that Ex-Im Bank plays in supporting 1.4 million jobs in the United States," Timmons said. "The Senate must ensure that Mr. Garrett is not put in a position to both thwart the President's stated goals and harm America's manufacturing workers."

The Senate has yet to take up any of the Ex-Im Bank nominations. http://bit.ly/2jEQ16a

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