Industry News

Senate Confirms Robert Lighthizer for USTR

May 11, 2017


On May 11, 2017, the Senate confirmed Mr. Robert Lighthizer’s nomination for United States Trade Representative. He was confirmed by an 81-15 bipartisan vote.

Although a nominee for USTR since the very beginning of Trump’s administration, both procedural and political hurdles have stymied Lighthizer’s confirmation proceedings. Before the Senate Finance Committee advanced his nomination to the Senate floor, it needed to waive the legal ban on any USTR having represented or provided legal counsel to foreign entities during trade negotiations or disputes. Lighthizer’s waiver was eventually approved and included in the recently passed omnibus appropriations legislation.