Tai Confirmed as U.S. Trade Representative

By a unanimous 98-0 vote Wednesday, the Senate confirmed Katherine Tai as the next U.S. Trade Representative. Tai had already won a unanimous voice vote in committee. Senate Finance Chair, Oregon's Ron Wyden called Tai a “terrific person” for USTR.

“She led crackdowns against China’s trade cheating and job ‘rip-offs.’ As the top trade staffer on the Ways and Means Committee, she was at the forefront to improve the ‘new NAFTA.’ She’s already got a long track record of achieving wins for America’s workers, businesses, farmers, and ranchers.”

During here confirmation hearings, Tai committed to enforcing the China Phase I deal as well as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which are keys for U.S. agriculture. Wyden added Tai also agreed to be more open with lawmakers on trade issues.

“Ms. Tai has committed to the Finance Committee that she will work to bring more transparency to trade policy. I know that Ms. Tai will continue to ‘raise the bar’ for that transparency and communication with the Congress, because she has been on our side of policymaking, and she’s already proved that kind of openness and accountability is a key priority for her.”

Wyden said tops on his list, Tai’s commitment to protecting and expanding high-skilled, high-wage jobs for American workers through enforcement of existing trade deals and new ones. Tai is the first Asian American woman and the first woman of color to fill the USTR spot since the position was created 60 years ago.

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