The committee had favorably reported the nominee, Jeffrey Kessler, in June, but President Donald Trump had to resubmit several nominations after the Senate did not confirm them last Congress.
Housed within the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration, the enforcement and compliance division enforces antidumping and countervailing duty laws, administers the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones program and works to ensure compliance of U.S. trading partners with free trade agreements.
During his June 12 confirmation hearing, Kessler, who has worked as a trade attorney at Wilmer Hale, said if he’s confirmed he would seriously consider Commerce self-initiating AD/CV duty cases, in line with current department policy.
In the first AD and CV duty cases self-initiated by the U.S. government in more than 30 years, the International Trade Commission by a vote of 5-0 in December determined that imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China materially injure U.S. industry, after Commerce set AD duty rates ranging from 49.85 percent to 59.72 percent and CV duty rates ranging from 46.48 percent to 116.49 percent.
Other trade and logistics nominees awaiting confirmation include Jeffrey Nadaner to be assistant secretary of Commerce for export enforcement; Amy Karpel and Randolph Stayin to be members of the International Trade Commission; M. Miller Baker and Timothy Reif to be judges on the Court of International Trade; Ronald Vitiello to be director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Kimberly Reed to be president of the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank board of directors; Spencer Bachus, Claudia Slacik and Judith DelZoppo Pryor to be members of the Ex-Im Bank board; Ann Marie Buerkle to be reappointed as a commissioner on the Consumer Product Safety Commission; Darrell Issa to be director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency; and Michelle Schultz to be a member of the Surface Transportation Board.
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The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowThe night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowIndustry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now