[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 216 (Wednesday, December 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S9188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                      Nomination of Maria L. Pagan

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, in a few minutes, I will be putting forward 
a unanimous consent request asking the Senate to take up and approve a 
highly qualified and noncontroversial nominee.
  I will just take a couple of minutes to talk about Maria Pagan, 
nominated to be the next Deputy U.S. Trade Representative in Geneva. 
There are a few key points to make about the nominee, as well as the 
critical role she will serve representing the United States at the 
World Trade Organization to get a better deal for American workers, 
farmers, and businesses.
  To start, Ms. Pagan isn't new to high-pressure, high-profile 
negotiations. She is currently deputy general counsel at the U.S. Trade 
Representative's Office, the person called in when issues are 
particularly challenging. She has taken on these difficult issues 
during numerous trade agreement negotiations, including the U.S.-
Mexico-Canada Agreement. She was in lockstep with Members of Congress 
who pushed hard to guarantee that the commitments laid out in the USMCA 
were fully and quickly enforceable, a key priority for protecting 
American jobs.
  She has been a longtime public servant, spending 30 years in 
government. She has served both Republican and Democratic 
administrations at the Department of Commerce and at USTR. She is an 
expert on a host of issues from trade in services to government 
procurement, and she has litigated several disputes before the WTO.
  She is highly qualified. She is a nominee who brings the two sides of 
the Senate together. The Finance Committee vote on her nomination was 
27 to 1.
  I would just say, at this point in time, that is about as good as it 
gets.
  Colleagues, I have said before that it is crucial to get qualified 
people to the office representing the United States around the world. 
It is important to have these skilled individuals working on behalf of 
our workers, our businesses, and our interests. This nomination is 
particularly important to me.
  It is no secret that the World Trade Organization, which can be a 
valuable institution, is not today functioning as it needs to. The 
rules that underpin the WTO were crafted more than two decades ago. 
These 20th century rules have simply not kept up with 21st century 
technology.
  Meanwhile, the Chinese Government has learned to game the system. It 
does so routinely at the expense of hard-working American families.
  As a result, the process of leveling the playing field with trade 
rules based on fairness have been overtaken by the exploitation of 
loopholes and rip-offs. In many cases, that comes at the direct expense 
of American workers and American businesses.
  With her decades of experience, Ms. Pagan understands these 
challenges as well as anyone. From day one after her confirmation, she 
will hit the ground running to lead our allies in fighting back.
  For example, one area that I feel particularly strongly about is that 
new rules are desperately needed to deal with subsidized fisheries. 
Harmful subsidies are allowing fleets to reach distant shores of less 
developed countries like Ecuador and Ghana. They are stripping the 
ocean of fish without regard to species or regulations or basic 
decency. These highly subsidized, poorly regulated fleets rely on 
abhorrent labor practices--including forced labor. Worst of all, their 
catch ends up in American supermarkets and on American tables.
  Oregon fishing families who trade in fairly and sustainably caught 
U.S. salmon, pollack, and other fish simply should not be asked to 
compete against that kind of horrendous cheating.
  Negotiations on this issue have been dragging on for over 20 years, 
and I can tell you, the 20 years have not improved the situation for 
our oceans and for our families.
  The 12th Ministerial Conference, which was delayed last week due to 
the new COVID variant, is another really important chance to get these 
negotiations finally done. The outcome has to be strong. It can't open, 
once again, harmful new loopholes.
  These meetings have been rescheduled to the spring. The United States 
needs tough, smart leadership at the table. Ms. Pagan, with her years 
of negotiation, is just the closer, just the kind of person the United 
States needs.
  There are no shortages of other issues that Ms. Pagan will have to 
tackle at the World Trade Organization, from institutional reform to 
dispute settlement, to e-commerce. The United States needs a leader who 
can work with our allies to get it all done. She is the right woman for 
the job.
  Maria Pagan is a highly qualified, experienced nominee. She is a 
proven negotiator, a strong advocate for workers, farmers, and 
businesses. She comes, as I have indicated, with strong, 27-to-1, 
bipartisan support in the Senate Finance Committee. There is just no 
justification for any delay in moving this nomination forward.
  I will have more to say when I ask unanimous consent, briefly, in a 
bit.
  And, at this moment, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.