CAPAC Chair Judy Chu Praises Nomination of Katherine Tai as US Trade Representative

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President-elect Joe Biden announced that he is nominating Katherine Tai, who currently serves as the Chief Trade Counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee, to be the United States Trade Representative. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement praising the nomination and urging President-elect Biden to nominate more AAPIs to the Cabinet:

“I’m thrilled that Katherine Tai will be nominated to be our next US Trade Representative. From our work together on Ways and Means, I have seen firsthand Ms. Tai’s skill and experience with trade deals and have been impressed by her work on the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement, as well as her vast knowledge of the current and coming trade challenges. Through her work as Chief Counsel for China Trade Enforcement at USTR, Ms. Tai has also demonstrated her commitment to enforcing trade deals that work for the United States. That’s why Rep. Suzanne Bonamici and I led a letter to President-Elect Biden with 10 women members urging the nomination of Katherine Tai.

“Katherine’s nomination is also historic. She would be the first Asian American and the first woman of color to serve in this role, breaking barriers and clearing the way for others to follow. She would also be one of the highest ranking Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) officials in our government. Katherine’s name is one we raised during a recent CAPAC meeting with the Biden Transition Team. It is imperative that we ensure AAPIs are appointed to all levels of the federal government, but especially in the Cabinet.

“While I am thrilled about Katherine’s nomination, I urge President-elect Biden to continue to ensure that more AAPIs are represented in his Cabinet.  For over two decades, there has always been at least one AAPI at the Secretary level in the Cabinet, and I urge President-elect Biden to continue to maintain that base level of representation as part of his promise to build a government that inspires young people, prioritizes expertise, and reflects the diversity of our nation.”