Crapo Votes to Confirm USTR Nominee
Washington, D.C.--Today, the U.S. Senate confirmed Jamieson Greer to be United States Trade Representative (USTR) by a bipartisan vote of 56-43. In remarks delivered on the Floor, U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) called on his Senate colleagues to support the nomination, highlighting Mr. Greer’s extensive trade experience and commitment to advancing a robust trade agenda that prioritizes American farmers, ranchers, workers and businesses.
Watch Crapo's remarks here.
As delivered:
“I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the confirmation of Mr. Jamieson Greer, who is nominated to serve as the United States Trade Representative.
“I think I ought to set a couple of facts straight about President Trump's utilization of the various policies when he was President the first time.
“It was said that wages went down, prices went up and people were going to face terrible, dire consequences if he's able to follow his trade policies again in this term.
“The reality is that under President Trump, wages went up, jobs went up, unemployment went down, benefits went up, the economy grew dramatically and we had the strongest economy in our lifetimes because of the policies President Trump pursued.
“So I don't think people should let these politics of fear saying that everything President Trump does is going to hurt people convince them otherwise.
“The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, created in 1962 by Congress, develops and coordinates U.S. international trade policy and oversees trade negotiations with other countries.
“The U.S. Trade Representative—the role for which Mr. Greer is nominated—historically and statutorily serves as the United States’ principal advisor, negotiator and spokesperson on trade issues.
“Mr. Greer is well-suited for these roles as demonstrated during his previous tenure as USTR Chief of Staff when he worked with both sides of the aisle in negotiating and securing congressional approval of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which passed the Senate 89-10.
“Throughout the nomination process, Mr. Greer demonstrated his strong commitment to work with Congress in a bipartisan fashion to advance the interests of our farmers, ranchers, fishers and workers.
“In particular, I applaud Mr. Greer’s commitment to open markets for our farmers and manufacturers by negotiating new agreements and enforcing existing ones.
“I fully welcome a return to a USTR that performs its statutory obligation of creating new opportunities for Americans. And I look forward to USTR’s forthcoming reviews of foreign trade barriers that stymie U.S. investment and exports.
“I urge my colleagues to join me, now, to advance Mr. Greer’s nomination.
“It is critical to have a USTR at the helm of these investigations and to support the Administration’s return to an active and robust trade agenda that prioritizes American farmers, ranchers, workers and businesses.”
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