Appointment of USTR Chief Transparency Officer

By Shannon Togawa Mercer

USTR General Council Tim Reif was appointed to the position of Chief Transparency Officer on Thursday. The position was created this summer under the trade promotion authority law, in order to facilitate more transparency between the USTR and Congress. While most members of Congress applaud the appointment, Rep. Lloyd Dogget (D-Texas) voiced concerns that Reif will only become a bureaucratic barrier between the legislature and the agency. Citing the recent denial of his request for congressional access to the current Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement text, Doggett predicted more obstruction from the USTR. Doggett is, however, a lone voice in the wilderness. Many of his colleagues, including Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.), Rep. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) all support Reif’s appointment.

More on Reif here.