January 28,2005

Baucus Counsel Tapped for Key Trade Position

Senior International Trade Counsel Shara Aranoff Awaits Nomination from White House

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Today, U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont), Ranking Member of theSenate Finance Committee, praised the decision of Democratic Leader Harry Reid to designateFinance Committee counsel Shara Aranoff for nomination to the position of Commissioner ofthe United States International Trade Commission (ITC). Ms. Aranoff currently serves as SeniorInternational Trade Counsel on the Democratic staff of the Senate Finance Committee.

“The ITC has a very important mission – enforcing U.S. trade laws,” said Baucus.“Shara brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position. With over twenty years ofexpertise in international trade and a strong record of public service, she will be a real asset tothe ITC and its mission.”

The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent, nonpartisan, federal agencythat enforces U.S. antidumping, countervailing duty, safeguard, and other trade remedy laws.The ITC also serves as the government’s trade expert, providing advice, analysis, and data oninternational trade to the President, Congress, other federal agencies, and the public. As one ofsix commissioners, Ms. Aranoff will help oversee 365 employees working at the agency.

“Shara has been a tremendous resource for me and my staff,” Baucus said. “She has beena key member of my Finance Committee team for the past four years and will be greatly missed,but I believe her talents are best used serving the United States as an ITC Commissioner.”

A resident of Maryland, Ms. Aranoff holds a B.A. in Public and International Affairs fromPrinceton University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Prior to joining the FinanceCommittee staff, she served for eight years on the career staff of the ITC’s Office of GeneralCounsel and practiced international trade law at the Washington, D.C. firm Steptoe & Johnson.

Before joining the ITC, Ms. Aranoff must be formally nominated by President Bush andconfirmed by the Senate. Ms. Aranoff will fill the seat of Marcia Miller, whose term expired onDecember 16, 2003.

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