Wyden Statement on Senate Floor on Vote to Confirm Sarah Bianchi as Deputy USTR

As Prepared for Delivery

Mr. President, yesterday the Senate confirmed the nomination of Jayme White to serve as a Deputy United States Trade Representative. Today the Senate has an opportunity to fill another Deputy USTR position, following a debate on President Biden’s nomination of Sarah Bianchi for that role. I want to speak briefly about a few key reasons why Ms. Bianchi is the right person for this important job and why the Senate should confirm her nomination today.

Sarah Bianchi is an accomplished, longtime member of the Biden economic team. She’s worked in a lot of different settings during her time in public service: the Office of the Vice President, the Domestic Policy Council, the Office of Management and Budget, and as a staff member here in the Senate. She also brings valuable experience in the private sector to her nomination.

She’s helped to build a strong Biden agenda that’s laser-focused on making sure that all Americans have an opportunity to get ahead. With respect to trade, that means fighting for American workers and businesses and cracking down on trade cheats that are always trying to rip off jobs and economic growth.

The variety and the depth of Ms. Biachi’s experience in public service is going to be a big asset to Ambassador Tai and the team at USTR.

When the Finance Committee voted on Ms. Bianchi’s nomination earlier this summer, it was approved by a vote of 27 to 1. These days it’s a struggle to get a bipartisan group of 27 senators to agree on much of anything, but supporting the Bianchi nomination is a bipartisan proposition. In fact, all of President Biden’s USTR nominees who’ve come before the Finance Committee have gotten strong support from both sides. It’s because they’re focused on getting trade done right with policies that bring Democrats and Republicans together.

When she’s confirmed, Ms. Bianchi will take on a challenging portfolio at USTR, which includes Asia, Africa, Investment, Services, Textiles and Industrial Competitiveness. The headline in that list is confronting China. The Finance Committee has worked hard on policies designed to take on China’s many trade rip-offs. There’s China’s use of forced labor. Massive, unfair subsidies that destroy the level playing field. Theft of intellectual property. The Great Firewall and censorship of the internet extending beyond China’s borders.

These abuses, tactics and rip-offs directly threaten American jobs, innovations and values. For the U.S. Senate, part of how members must address these issues is confirming highly qualified and experienced nominees like Sarah Bianchi whose jobs will include confronting China directly.

The Senate cannot afford to leave this important Deputy USTR role open any longer. We have a top-notch nominee before us. I support her fully. Twenty seven members of the Finance Committee supported her earlier this year during her committee markup. I urge senators to vote yes on the Bianchi nomination and I yield the floor.

###

Next Article Previous Article