Senate Finance approves two trade nominees

The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday approved two of President Trump’s delayed trade nominees.

The panel sent C.J. Mahoney and Dennis Shea, both nominated for deputy U.S. Trade Representative jobs, to the Senate floor for consideration. 

“If confirmed, both of these nominees will help establish international trade rules and negotiate trade agreements, ensuring U.S. interests are well-represented on the global stage,” said Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) in a statement.

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“I look forward to their quick and fair confirmations on the Senate floor,” Hatch said.

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer complained that the Trump administration has waited too long to get its nominees confirmed. 

“No administration has ever had to wait this long for its first Senate-confirmed deputy USTR,” Lighthizer said in a statement.

Republican Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) had placed a hold on Mahoney and Shea over what he said was a lack of communication with Lighthizer about trade issues in his state.

But after a recent trade meeting at the White House, Scott said he had gotten the answers he needed and would lift the hold on the two USTR nominees.

USTR had previously conceded there was some miscommunication.

Mahoney is slated to handle U.S. trade policy in China and Africa while Shea is nominated to represent the United States at the World Trade Organization in Geneva.