<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=""><b class=""><u class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Hatch Announces Hearing on the President's Trade Policy Agenda and FY 2018 Budget Request</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">WASHINGTON - Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) will convene a hearing on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, to examine the administration's approach to trade policy and its fiscal year (FY) 2018 budget request. The hearing, titled "The President's Trade Policy Agenda and Fiscal Year 2018 Budget," will take place at 10 a.m. in Room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">"As the United States looks to sell more American products and services across the globe, our focus should be on opening new markets for our exporters and protecting intellectual property rights to help maintain the United States' competitiveness abroad," Hatch said. "This administration has been clear about its intent to pursue trade policies that, through close consultation with Congress, will build a stronger American economy and bring real benefits to American workers, families and job creators. At the hearing, members will have the opportunity to hear directly from Ambassador Lighthizer on the administration's trade policy agenda and examine USTR's budget request for fiscal year 2018."</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">The witness at Wednesday's hearing will be:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0.3in 0.0001pt 0.75in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;" class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol;" class="">ยท<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" class=""> </span></span><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">The Honorable Robert E. Lighthizer, Ambassador, Office of United States Trade Representative (USTR), Washington, DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width: 955px; border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody class=""><tr style="height: 3.4pt;" class=""><td width="197" valign="top" style="width: 118.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 3.4pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="259" valign="top" style="width: 155.45pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 3.4pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Who:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="1405" valign="top" style="width: 843.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 3.4pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Senate Finance Committee</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" class=""><td width="197" valign="top" style="width: 118.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="259" valign="top" style="width: 155.45pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">What:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="1405" valign="top" style="width: 843.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Hearing on President's Trade Policy Agenda and FY18 Budget Request</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" class=""><td width="197" valign="top" style="width: 118.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="259" valign="top" style="width: 155.45pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Where:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="1405" valign="top" style="width: 843.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">215 Dirksen Senate Office Building</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" class=""><td width="197" valign="top" style="width: 118.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="259" valign="top" style="width: 155.45pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""></td><td width="1405" valign="top" style="width: 843.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Washington, D.C. 20510</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" class=""><td width="197" valign="top" style="width: 118.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="259" valign="top" style="width: 155.45pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">When:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="1405" valign="top" style="width: 843.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Wednesday, June 21, 2017</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 12.65pt;" class=""><td width="197" valign="top" style="width: 118.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.65pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td><td width="259" valign="top" style="width: 155.45pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.65pt;" class=""></td><td width="1405" valign="top" style="width: 843.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.65pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 15.399999618530273px;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 11.199999809265137px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">10 a.m.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.799999237060547px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">POLITICO: Ways and Means books Lighthizer for second hearing next week<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">By Doug Palmer<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">06/15/2017 06:03 PM EDT<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will outline the president's trade agenda for members of the House Ways and Means Committee next Thursday, just one day after he testifies before the Senate Finance Committee.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">"I look forward to learning more about the administration's plans for seamlessly modernizing and upgrading NAFTA, as well as opening up other markets through the negotiation of strong new agreement<i class="">s</i>," House Ways and Means Chairman <a href="http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f291525ec94e31ce646ef4ecbafb6da6c3f11f0c3c548b5a778c7796cefb8a036abbf788c3069ba175f9324e34825e74c2c3710b069de225" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class=""><span style="color: blue;" class="">Kevin Brady</span></a> said in a statement announcing the hearing.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">"I also look forward to discussing how we can more effectively enforce our existing agreements, including WTO rules, to ensure a level playing field," Brady added. "When our trading partners play by the rules, America wins."<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div></body></html>