[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 46 (Friday, March 29, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S3248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NOMINATION OF STUART EIZENSTAT

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on behalf of the 
nomination of Stuart Eizenstat to be the Under Secretary of Commerce 
for International Trade. In Stu Eizenstat, President Clinton has chosen 
a real winner. Ambassador Eizenstat brings a wealth of experience and 
talent to the administration's economic policy team. In Ron Brown we 
have had the most energetic and effective Secretary of Commerce that 
has ever held office at the Hoover Building. And, with the selection of 
Stu Eizenstat, we finally will have an Under Secretary of Commerce for 
trade who will serve as an aggressive advocate for U.S. business 
overseas, and an individual who will help defend American business 
against unfair competition.
  Ambassador Eizenstat is a native of Georgia and, in this period of 
March madness, I should also note that he developed quite a reputation 
as an exception basketball player. He is a graduate of the University 
of North Carolina and Harvard Law School.
  As a young man Stu served in the White House under President Lyndon 
Johnson. And, from 1977-80 he served as President Carter's domestic 
policy advisor. Since leaving the White House, he has served as a 
lecturer at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and as 
a guest scholar at the Brookings Institute. He is an expert in trade 
law and he made a name for himself in private practice in Atlanta and 
Washington. President Clinton named him to serve in Brussels as the 
United States Ambassador to the European Union. And, in that role he 
has championed the cause of U.S. business regarding tariff and 
nontariff barriers to work toward a level playing field for American 
business.
  Stu Eizenstat is outstanding member of our Jewish American community. 
Throughout his life he has been very active in the Jewish community in 
Atlanta. While in Brussels, he also served as Special U.S. Envoy for 
Property Claims in Central Europe, seeking restitution of Jewish 
communal and private property confiscated by the Nazis during the 
Second World War.
  Mr. President, the International Trade Administration is the 
cornerstone in our U.S. trade programs. It is the principal agency 
responsible for promoting U.S. business and exports overseas. It staffs 
the U.S. Trade Representative, conducts trade missions, and provides 
policy makers with necessary information on industry and trading 
partners. And, through the Import Administration and the Office of 
Textiles and Apparel, ITA is responsible for protecting our markets 
from unfair competition, like dumping. ITA has typically been the 
Commerce Secretary's right hand; it has been the most important bureau 
in Commerce, regardless of who holds office, whether Mac Baldridge or 
Bill Verity or Pete Peterson or Elliot Richardson. I have no doubt that 
Stuart Eizenstat will make ITA even more effective as he assumes 
command.
  I have no doubt that Ambassador Eizenstat will hit the ground running 
when he gets over to the Commerce Department. I know his first 
objective will be to strengthen our trade enforcement activities. He 
intends to create a new center to monitor foreign countries compliance 
with trade agreements. Another principal goal of his is to get Asian 
nations to open their markets to U.S. products. During this recess, I 
will be reviewing his efforts to build a new American business center 
in Shanghai, China.
  Mr. President, Stu Eizenstat is a man of superb intellect and high 
integrity. I can tell you that he knows how to get the job done. I know 
that he will be an effective leader at ITA and Commerce and I urge my 
colleagues to support his nomination.

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