December 18,2024

Crapo Statement at ITC Nominations Hearing

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing to consider the nomination of Halie Craig and James Coughlan to be members of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).

As prepared for delivery:

“The International Trade Commission or ITC is an important institution.  It provides Congress and the Administration with important economic analysis of trade issues. 

“It also plays a critical role in trade enforcement.  The ITC's section 337 process is a vital tool for U.S. companies facing unfair competition from foreign imports that infringe on their intellectual property. 

“The ITC also enforce our laws against dumped or subsidized foreign imports through objectively assessing whether there is any injury to our domestic industries.

“I look forward to hearing from the nominees the following questions:

  1. “How will ensure that you apply the trade laws objectively?  To paraphrase Chief Justice Roberts, how do you know you are calling ‘balls and strikes’ rather than changing the strike zone?
  2. “Would you make it a regular practice to try to visit our manufacturers?  Our former colleague Senator Portman once said that Commissioners need to develop expertise in particular industrial sectors and that by taking the time to visit specific manufacturers, it can really help develop such expertise.
  3. “What is your general understanding of the statutory factors that go into a public interest assessment?

“With that, let me turn it back to Senator Wyden."