<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="http://thehill.com/policy/finance/322786-lighthizer-nomination-hearing-set-for-tuesday" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">http://thehill.com/policy/finance/322786-lighthizer-nomination-hearing-set-for-tuesday</a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><h1 style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 24pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Lighthizer nomination hearing set for Tuesday (3/14)<o:p class=""></o:p></h1><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span class="submitted-by">By Vicki Needham - </span><span class="submitted-date">03/07/17 03:49 PM EST</span><span class="submitted-by"> </span><a href="http://thehill.com/policy/finance/322786-lighthizer-nomination-hearing-set-for-tuesday#bottom-story-socials" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">4</a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on the the nomination of Robert Lighthizer to be the U.S. Trade Representative.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">The 69-year-old lawyer and former Capitol Hill staffer will meet with the committee to discuss his vision for the nation’s trade agenda in a Trump administration. <o:p class=""></o:p></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">“In order for Congress to have a strong say in the Trump administration’s trade policy agenda, we need to confirm the USTR as soon as possible,” said panel Chairman <span class="rollover-people"><a href="http://thehill.com/people/orrin-hatch" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Orrin Hatch</a></span> (R-Utah).<o:p class=""></o:p></div><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">“After unprecedented delays and unrealistic and unrelated demands that have hindered the advancement of Mr. Lighthizer’s nomination, it is past time to allow the committee to examine the nominee’s qualifications to lead USTR,” Hatch said.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">The nomination has been held up by the insistence of all 12 Finance Committee Democrats who want to link a congressional waiver with a bill that would provide pension and healthcare benefits for coal miners. The latest extension of the coal miners bill is set to expire soon. <o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Hatch has said he doesn't think Lighthizer's nomination should be contingent on completing the coal miners legislation.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Lighthizer needs the House and Senate to pass a congressional waiver because he represented foreign governments in trade negotiations in 1985 and 1991. </p><div class=""><br class=""></div></body></html>