The Hill News

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell will attend the signing ceremony for the tax-cut deal he helped broker with President Obama.

Obama is set to sign the $858 billion measure into law Friday afternoon before the media in the White House's South Court Auditorium. 

McConnell lauded the deal in a floor speech Friday morning, painting it as a Republican victory.

“Today the president will sign a bill that ensures no American gets a tax hike on January 1. Republicans have fought hard for this legislation," he said. Up until last week, most Democrats resisted. But in the end the American people were heard. And that’s a welcome change from the past two years."

McConnell's public presence at the White House will be an interesting sight to see: bills signings over the past two years have not involved GOP leaders, who have largely stood in lockstep against Obama's agenda. 

According to CBS News's Mark Knoller, the signing will be the first for McConnell at the Obama White House. So far there have been 29 such events, according to the reporter and unofficial White House historian.

The Kentucky senator played a key role in the negotiations, hammering out the details with Vice President Joe Biden earlier this month. 

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who also played a role in the White House's talks with Congress, will also attend the signing.