Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Continuing To Deliver President Biden’s Team Including Today’s Confirmation Of Katherine Tai As US Trade Representative

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding moving forward with confirming Katherine Tai as President Biden’s Trade Representative and continuing to confirm the rest of President Biden’s Cabinet. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

The Senate is once again making excellent progress this week confirming President Biden’s nominees. We began the week by confirming a history-making cabinet member: Interior Secretary Haaland. Yesterday we confirmed Isabel Guzman as the SBA Administrator.

Today, we will confirm with another consequential administrative appointment: the United States Trade Representative. President Biden has named Katherine Tai, the daughter of proud immigrants from Taiwan, a veteran of the Office of the Trade Representative under President Obama, and one of our country’s most seasoned experts in international trade. That, Ms. Tai, is what America is all about. We welcome her. We give her a great position of authority because of her expertise. It's a great contrast with the tragedy I was talking about a few minutes ago—the ascension of another proud American of Asian ancestry here.

As U.S. Trade Representative, Ms. Tai will play a crucial role in enforcing existing trade deals and making sure that American workers, businesses and researchers can compete on a level playing field. She will be an essential player in restoring America’s credibility with our trading partners and promoting international cooperation to tackle some of the world’s biggest problems, from the global pandemic to climate change.

I have not a single doubt that Ms. Tai is the right person for the job. And I look forward to the Senate giving her a well-deserved promotion later today.

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