AISenate Finance Committee advances five ITC commissioner nominations

Title

Senate Finance Committee advances five ITC commissioner nominations

Purpose

The Senate Finance Committee met to formally consider and vote on advancing five nominees to serve as Commissioners of the United States International Trade Commission (ITC): Brett Doyle, David Foley, Peter-Anthony Pappas, Bart Thanhauser, and Samuel Negatu. Chairman Crapo and Ranking Member Wyden both offered supportive remarks before the committee recessed to hold the formal vote off the Senate floor later that day. Begins at▶ 0:22:29

Who spoke

• Chair Mike Crapo (R-ID)▶ 0:22:29: Opened the meeting to consider favorably reporting the five ITC nominees▶ 0:22:29, described the ITC as a highly-valued, independent, nonpartisan, quasi-judicial agency that benefits from having a full slate of commissioners▶ 0:22:57, and stated he is voting in favor of all five nominees and encouraged colleagues to do the same▶ 0:23:28.

• Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member▶ 0:24:03: Said it is "virtually unheard of" for him to support an entire slate of Trump nominees but intends to support this bipartisan package▶ 0:24:03, singled out nominees Samuel Negatu and Bart Thanhauser as assets to the ITC's trade-enforcement mission▶ 0:24:29, and cited recent Eastern Oregon town halls where ag communities described trade enforcement as vital to selling beef, wheat, potatoes, and onions▶ 0:25:26.

Key moments

• Chairman Crapo named all five nominees under consideration — Brett Doyle, David Foley, Peter-Anthony Pappas, Bart Thanhauser, and Samuel Negatu — and stated the committee plans to vote on them off the Senate floor later that day▶ 0:22:29.

• Crapo said each nominee demonstrated at their hearing an appreciation for the ITC's responsibility and a commitment to carry out its mission with integrity and independence▶ 0:23:28.

• Wyden noted it is rare for him to back an entire package of nominees from the Trump administration, but he supports this bipartisan slate▶ 0:24:03.

• Wyden described the ITC's core function as stopping "cheaters" who try to rip off American businesses and companies, standing up for manufacturers and farmers▶ 0:24:29.

• Wyden cited holding more than 1,100 open town hall meetings, including recent ones in La Grande, Baker City, John Day, and Enterprise, Oregon, where ag communities described trade access as "a matter of survival"▶ 0:24:55▶ 0:25:26.

• Wyden said he plans to have more to say about the administration's trade policy in the future, but is supporting the nominees today▶ 0:25:56.

• Crapo announced the committee would recess and reconvene to vote on the nominations off the Senate floor at noon, and without objection the committee stood in recess▶ 0:26:15.