Robert Lighthizer

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Robert Lighthizer
Robert E. Lighthizer official portrait.jpg
18th United States Trade Representative
Assumed office
May 15, 2017
President Donald Trump
Deputy Jeffrey Gerrish
C.J. Mahoney
Dennis Shea
Preceded by Michael Froman
Personal details
Born Robert Emmet Lighthizer
(1947-10-11) October 11, 1947 (age 70)
Ashtabula, Ohio, U.S.
Political party Republican
Education Georgetown University (BA, JD)

Robert Emmet Lighthizer (born October 11, 1947)[1] is an American attorney and government official who is the current United States Trade Representative.[2] After he graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 1973, Robert Lighthizer joined the firm of Covington and Burling in Washington, D.C. He left the firm in 1978 to serve as chief minority counsel and later staff director and chief of staff of the Senate Committee on Finance under Chairman Bob Dole. In 1983, Robert Lighthizer was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative for President Ronald Reagan. In 1985, Lighthizer joined the Washington office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP as a partner and led the firm's international trade group. On January 3, 2017, President-elect Donald J. Trump announced that he intended to nominate Lighthizer as his U.S. Trade Representative.[3] Lighthizer was confirmed by the Senate on May 11, 2017, by a vote of 82-14.[4]

Early life and education[edit]

Lighthizer was born in 1947 to Orville James and Michaelene Lighthizer. His father practiced medicine in Ashtabula, Ohio, where Lighthizer was raised. He attended Gilmour Academy in Gates Mill, Ohio. He later graduated from Georgetown University with a B.A. in 1969 and a J.D. in 1973.

Career[edit]

After graduating from law school, Lighthizer joined Covington & Burling in Washington D.C. as an associate attorney. In 1978, Lighthizer left Covington & Burling to work for Senator Bob Dole (R-Kan.), who at the time was the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee.[5][6] When Dole became Chairman of the Finance Committee in 1981, Lighthizer became the committee's staff director and chief of staff.[7][6][8] In the 1980s, Lighthizer hired fellow Georgetown Hoya Patrick Ewing as an intern.[9]

In 1983, during the administration of President Ronald Reagan, Lighthizer was nominated and confirmed to serve as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative under William Brock. During his tenure, Lighthizer negotiated over two dozen bilateral international agreements, including agreements on steel, automobiles, and agricultural products.[10] As Deputy USTR, Lighthizer also served as Vice Chairman of the Board of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.[11]

In 1985, Lighthizer joined the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (Skadden) as a partner.[12] He practiced international trade law at Skadden for over 30 years, representing American workers and businesses ranging from manufacturing to financial services, agriculture, and technology.[13] While at Skadden, Lighthizer worked to expand markets to U.S. exports and defended U.S. industries from unfair trading practices.

Lighthizer served in a senior position in the 1988 presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Bob Dole. In 1996, he served as the treasurer of the Dole campaign.[14]

18th United States Trade Representative[edit]

Robert Lighthizer meets with former Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee (and current Judiciary Committee Chairman) Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in January 2017

On January 3, 2017, Donald Trump announced that he planned to nominate Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Representative, a cabinet-level position.[15] On January 23, press reports speculated that Lighthizer's nomination might require a waiver of section 141(b)(4) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, due to his brief representation of a foreign government in litigation 25 years prior.[16] In March, White House Counsel Donald McGahn sent a letter to Senate leadership citing a Clinton-era opinion by the White House Counsel arguing that the statute was an unconstitutional limit on the president's ability to appoint his cabinet.[17][18]

At his confirmation hearing, Lighthizer was introduced by former Senator Bob Dole and U.S. Senators from Ohio Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman. In introducing Lighthizer, Brown said, "Mr. Lighthizer is eminently qualified, as Senator Dole said, for this job. He has a long history of fighting on behalf of American manufacturers, and I would add, American workers."[19]

On April 25, the Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved Lighthizer's nomination to serve as the U.S. Trade Representative as well as a waiver of section 141(b)(4) of the Trade Act of 1974.[20]

Lighthizer was confirmed as the 18th U.S. Trade Representative on May 11, 2017, by a margin of 82–14.[21] He was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence on May 15, 2017.[22]

Three days later, on May 18, Lighthizer notified Congress that President Trump intended to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), making him the first USTR to renegotiate a major U.S. free trade agreement.[23]

Policy views[edit]

Tariffs[edit]

Lighthizer has stated that using tariffs to promote American industry was a Republican tenet dating back to the pro-business politicians who established the party.[24]

Trade with China[edit]

Lighthizer has accused the country of China of unfair trade practices.[25] He wrote: "The icon of modern conservatism, Ronald Reagan, imposed quotas on imported steel, protected Harley-Davidson from Japanese competition, restrained import of semiconductors and automobiles, and took myriad similar steps to keep American industry strong. How does allowing China to constantly rig trade in its favor advance the core conservative goal of making markets more efficient? Markets do not run better when manufacturing shifts to China largely because of the actions of its government."[25]

Lighthizer suggested that the U.S. should bring more cases against China for failure to comply with the regulations of the World Trade Organization. In testimony before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission in 2010, Lighthizer stated that "USTR (U.S. Trade Representative) should pursue WTO litigation with respect to all such examples of non-compliance. If necessary, Congress should give USTR additional resources to increase its ability."[26]

Negotiating[edit]

Lighthizer has stated "I try to be friendly in negotiations. I'm not the theatrical type. The art of persuasion is knowing where the leverage is".[7]

Personal life[edit]

Lighthizer’s brother, O. James Lighthizer, is an American Civil War expert. James Lighthizer is the president of the Civil War Trust, a battlefield preservation society, and a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates.[27]

Lighthizer lives in Florida. He has two children, Robert and Claire, and three grandchildren.[28]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Clarke, Sara (January 31, 2017). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Robert Lighthizer". US News and World Report. Retrieved September 18, 2017. 
  2. ^ "United States Trade Representative, Robert E. Lighthizer | United States Trade Representative". ustr.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  3. ^ "The White House". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  4. ^ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 115th Congress - 1st Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  5. ^ "THE STEEL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS; THE EXPERTS WHO WILL FORGE THE NEW QUOTAS". The New York Times. 1984-09-30. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  6. ^ a b Swardson, Anne (1987-01-19). "ROBEWRT E. LIGHTHIZER". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  7. ^ a b SUSAN F. RASKY (September 30, 1984). "THE STEEL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS; THE EXPERTS WHO WILL FORGE THE NEW QUOTAS". New York Times. 
  8. ^ "Ronald Reagan: Nomination of Robert Emmet Lighthizer To Be a Deputy United States Trade Representative". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  9. ^ Swardson, Anne (1987-01-19). "ROBEWRT E. LIGHTHIZER". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  10. ^ "United States Trade Representative, Robert E. Lighthizer | United States Trade Representative". ustr.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  11. ^ "United States Trade Representative, Robert E. Lighthizer | United States Trade Representative". ustr.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  12. ^ Swardson, Anne (1987-01-19). "ROBEWRT E. LIGHTHIZER". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  13. ^ "United States Trade Representative, Robert E. Lighthizer | United States Trade Representative". ustr.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  14. ^ "DOLE FOR PRESIDENT INC - committee overview - FEC.gov". FEC.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  15. ^ "Trump Taps China Critic Lighthizer for U.S. Trade Representative". Bloomberg.com. 2017-01-03. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  16. ^ "InsideTrade.com". InsideTrade.com. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  17. ^ "Login Redirect Cookie" (PDF). InsideTrade.com. 2013-11-26. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  18. ^ https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/blaw/olc/barsh2.htm
  19. ^ "Hearing to Consider the Nomination of Robert Lighthizer, of Florida, to be United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | The United States Senate Committee on Finance". www.finance.senate.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  20. ^ "Finance Committee unanimously votes to approve Lighthizer confirmation, waiver". InsideTrade.com. 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  21. ^ "Lighthizer Approval as Trade Rep Paves Way for Nafta Talks". Bloomberg.com. 2017-05-11. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  22. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/business/robert-lighthizer-sworn-in-as-us-trade-representative/2017/05/15/6cd83abe-39a9-11e7-a59b-26e0451a96fd_story.html
  23. ^ https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/Releases/NAFTA%20Notification.pdf
  24. ^ Robert E. Lighthizer (May 9, 2011). "LIGHTHIZER: Donald Trump is no liberal on trade". Washington Times. 
  25. ^ a b Jennifer Jacobs (January 2, 2017). "Trump Taps China Critic Lighthizer for U.S. Trade Representative". Bloomberg L.P. 
  26. ^ Estelle Tran (January 5, 2017). "STEEL INDUSTRY CHEERS NOMINATION OF LIGHTHIZER AS US TRADE REPRESENTATIVE". Platts. 
  27. ^ "Board Of Trustees | Civil War Trust". www.civilwar.org. Retrieved 2017-09-19. 
  28. ^ Anne Swardson (January 19, 1987). "ROBERT E. LIGHTHIZER". Washington Post. 

External links[edit]

Political offices
Preceded by
Michael Froman		 United States Trade Representative
2017–present		 Incumbent
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