Senate confirms Froman as next trade representative

[ProSense]

Senate confirms Froman as next trade representative

By Jim Abrams

Michael Froman, a senior White House economic adviser and classmate of President Obama at Harvard Law School, won Senate confirmation Wednesday to be the next U.S. trade representative.

The confirmation vote was 93 to 4, elevating Froman, 50, to the head of an agency now involved in two of the most significant deals in recent history.

“In his new position, Mike will stay focused on our primary economic goals — promoting growth, creating jobs and strengthening the middle class,” Obama said in a statement lauding the action. “And he will continue to help open new markets for American businesses, level the playing field for American workers, farmers and ranchers, and fully enforce our trade rights.”

Voting against Froman were an independent, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and three Democrats: Carl Levin of Michigan, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Warren said in a floor speech that she was voting against the nominee because he would not commit to more transparency on positions taken by the United States and other countries in trade talks.

- more -

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/senate-confirms-froman-as-next-trade-representative/2013/06/19/d0a311e2-d934-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html

Roll call: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00158

[SomethingFishy]

1. And Elizabeth Warren goes into "poutrage" over it..

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/sen-warren-opposes-obamas-nominee-tra

I asked the President's nominee to be Trade Representative -- Michael Froman - three questions: First, would he commit to releasing the composite bracketed text? Or second, if not, would he commit to releasing just a scrubbed version of the bracketed text that made anonymous which country proposed which provision. (Note: Even the Bush Administration put out the scrubbed version during negotiations around the Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement.)

Third, I asked Mr. Froman if he would provide more transparency behind what information is made to the trade office's outside advisors. Currently, there are about 600 outside advisors that have access to sensitive information, and the roster includes a wide diversity of industry representatives and some labor and NGO representatives too. But there is no transparency around who gets what information and whether they all see the same things, and I think that's a real problem.
 
Mr. Froman's response was clear: No, no, no. He will not commit to make this information available so the public can track what is going on.

I am voting against Mr. Froman's nomination later today because I believe we need a new direction from the Trade Representative -- A direction that prioritizes transparency and public debate. The American people have the right to know more about the negotiations that will have dramatic impact on the future of the American economy. And that will have a dramatic impact on our working men and women, on the environment, on the Internet.

Why does she hate Obama?

[Logical]

3. Maybe she is racist? n-t

[rickyhall]

2. Makes me wonder...

As much obstruction as the Senate has been doing for all the other candidates for various departments I'm suspicious of them confirming this one so quickly and unanimously.

[Elwood P Dowd]

4. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$