PD_USITC_Chairman-and-Commissioner

Position Description

Commissioner/Chairman, United states international trade commission

Overview

Senate Committee

Finance

Agency Mission

To administer U.S. trade remedy laws within its mandate in a fair and objective manner; provide the president, the U.S. Trade Representative and Congress with independent analysis, information and support on matters of tariffs, international trade and U.S. competitiveness; and maintain the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.

Position Overview

The commissioners of the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) implement U.S. trade laws and assist the president and Congress by providing them with information and analysis relevant to the formulation of U.S. foreign trade policy.

Compensation

Chairman: Level III $165,300 (5 U.S.C. § 5314)
Commissioners: Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)¹ _{The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.}

Position Reports to

USTIC is an independent, quasi-judicial federal agency

Responsibilities

Management Scope

In fiscal 2015, USITC had $82 million in budget outlays and 403 employees.² _{Leadership Directories: https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgDocument.asp?OrgId=-1&LDIBookId=19&LDIOrgId=155147&LDISecId=201&FromRecent=0&Save=1&Position=-1#O155147}

Primary Responsibilities

® Implements U.S. trade law and contributes to the development of sound and informed trade policy
® Participates in the development, administration and implementation of commission policies and procedures for administrative and legal matters; financial and resources management; and organizational development of the commission
® Oversees hiring of agency senior executives as well as administrative law judges

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® Commission requirements:
® Commissioners are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate for nine-year terms, unless they are appointed to fill unexpired terms³ _OPM
® Commissioners are drawn equally from the president’s political party and from the opposition political party
® Commissioner requirements:
® Willing and able to work across party lines, given the three-three partisan split
® Well-versed in the regulation of international trade, although being a lawyer is not necessary

Competencies

® Ability to question witnesses effectively (desirable given the importance of public hearings in Title VII trade remedy matters)
® Ability to analyze complex legal and economic arguments (desirable)
® Ability to absorb principles of new areas of regulatory practice when Congress places new responsibilities on the agency
® Ability to navigate and manage a complex intra-agency structure and to work effectively with other government agencies and Congress

Past Appointees

Meredith M. Broadbent (2012 to 2017): Senior Advisor and William M. Scholl Chair in International Business, Center for Strategic and International Studies; Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Industry and Telecommunications, Office of the United States Trade Representative, George W. Bush Administration; Senior Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Trade, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives⁴ _{Leadership Directories: https://lo.bvdep.com/PeopleDocument.asp?Perso
Id=-1&LDIPeopleId=463075&Save=1}
David S Johanson (2011 to 2017): International Trade Counsel, Committee on Finance, Senate; Associate Attorney, Stewart and Stewart; Legislative Director, Office of Representative George Radanovich (R-CA), House of Representatives⁵ _{Leadership Directories: https://lo.bvdep.com/PeopleDocument.asp?Perso
Id=-1&LDIPeopleId=363025&Save=1}
F. Scott Kieff (2013 to 2017): Senior Fellow, The Hoover Institution; Member, Patent Public Advisory Committee, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce; Professor, School of Law, Washington University⁶ _{Leadership Directories: https://lo.bvdep.com/PeopleDocument.asp?Perso
Id=-1&LDIPeopleId=757586&Save=1}
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