Katherine Tai: Nominee Currently: Robert Lighthizer
Normally a low-profile outpost, the position of chief trade negotiator became one of the Trump administration’s most consequential jobs. Ambassador Robert E. Lighthizer, an experienced trade attorney, was the intellectual muscle behind the president’s “America First” sentiments, driving a protectionist revolution in U.S. policy.With USTR’s help, Trump imposed tariffs on solar panels, washing machines, steel and aluminum along with much of what Americans import from China. Lighthizer, a fierce critic of the World Trade Organization, hammered out new agreements with South Korea, Mexico and Canada, and China. But he failed to achieve Trump’s goal of narrowing the U.S. trade deficit and left many U.S. allies irritated by his uncompromising stance.
Biden has said he plans no early reversal of the Trump tariffs, though that could come later. He also plans investments in infrastructure, education and manufacturing before seeking new trade deals. And he has proposed a $400 billion “Buy America” initiative, which could require renegotiating some existing accords.
Katherine Tai
Chief trade counsel, House Ways & Means Committee
Along with substantial experience on Capitol Hill, Tai spent seven years as a USTR attorney specializing in enforcing trade agreements with China. She is well-regarded by both the corporate and progressive wings of the party and is backed by prominent lawmakers, including Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio. A group of 10 female House Democrats led by Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Judy Chu wrote Biden backing Tai as “uniquely qualified” for the job.
Source: Washington Post Reported by Amy B Wang and David J. Lynch.
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2021-01-12 Who is Katherine Tai? President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Katherine Tai, the chief trade counsel for the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means, as U.S Trade Representative. In her new role, Tai will be responsible for the development and coordination of U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy. She will oversee trade negotiations with other countries. As U.S. Trade Representative, Tai will act as the president’s principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on all issues related to international trade. She will be a member of the president’s cabinet.
2020-12-16 Katherine Tai Appointed as U.S. Trade Rep.: “I Am Very Proud to Be an Advocate For American Workers” As chief trade counsel, Tai currently serves as the House Ways and Means Committee’s chief lawyer. She previously held the titles of Associate General Counsel and Chief Counsel for China Trade Enforcement in the USTR’s Office of the General Counsel.
She was the first of her family to be born in America, and went on to attend Yale University and Harvard Law School. However, she also worked in Guangzhou, China teaching English in the late 90s, eventually becoming a Yale-China Fellow. Tai is deeply experienced in matters of U.S.-China trade relations, having litigated such disputes for the U.S. at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
2020-12-10 Biden picks longtime China critic Katherine Tai as top U.S. trade official Katherine Tai, a trade lawyer with a history of taking on China, as his incoming administration’s pick for the United States’ top trade representative. If confirmed by the Senate, Tai would inherit a critical, Cabinet-level position tasked with enforcing America’s import rules and brokering trading terms with China and other nations.
Tai, who is Asian-American, would also be the first woman of color to serve as the USTR. She is fluent in Mandarin. In choosing Tai, the senior trade lawyer on the House Ways and Means Committee, the Biden team likely signals an intent to return to a more multilateral trade approach to advance U.S. trade interests and confront growing economic competition from China.
2020-12-09 Biden selects Katherine Tai as U.S. trade representative
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