Federal Position Descriptions
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Chairman and Commissioner

Commissioner/Chairman, United States International Trade Commission
Responsibility
Management Scope

In fiscal 2015, USITC had $82 million in budget outlays and 403 employees.2

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

Strategic Goals and Priorities
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
• 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 Appointments
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
AGENCY

United States International Trade Commission

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.

COMPENSATION

Chairman: Level III $165,300 (5 U.S.C. § 5314)
Commissioners: Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)1

REPORTS TO

USTIC is an independent, quasi-judicial federal agency

SENATE COMMITTEE

Finance

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Footnote
  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.
  2. Leadership Directories:https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgDocument.asp?OrgId=-1&LDIBookId=19&LDIOrgId=155147&LDISecId=201&FromRecent=0&Save=1&Position=-1#O155147
  3. OPM
  4. Leadership Directories:https://lo.bvdep.com/PeopleDocument.asp?PersonId=-1&LDIPeopleId=463075&Save=1
  5. Leadership Directories:https://lo.bvdep.com/PeopleDocument.asp?PersonId=-1&LDIPeopleId=363025&Save=1
  6. Leadership Directories:https://lo.bvdep.com/PeopleDocument.asp?PersonId=-1&LDIPeopleId=757586&Save=1
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