United States Requests Comments on China's Compliance with WTO Commitments
Quinn Bailey & Clint Long

The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is working in conjunction with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to prepare USTR's annual congressional report on China's compliance with its World Trade Organization commitments. The interagency TPSC will convene a public hearing on October 7, 2015 and is seeking both written comments and oral testimony on the issue. Areas of particular focus include trading rights, import and export regulations, internal policies affecting trade, and intellectual property rights. Those who wish to comment must submit either their written commentary or a notification of their intent to testify and a summary of their testimony by September 23, 2015. More information regarding the hearing and request for comments can be found here.

Four Nominees To The U.S. Court Of International Trade Are Now Pending
Erienne Kilgore and Pat Togni

Over the past year, President Obama has nominated a total of four individuals to fill judicial vacancies on the bench of the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT). Last August, President Obama announced an intent to nominate U.S. Department of Justice Attorney Jeanne E. Davidson to serve on the CIT and replace Senior Judge Donald C. Pogue. The Senate received Ms. Davidson's nomination on January 7, 2015 and her nomination remains pending. On July 30, 2015, President Obama presented three additional nominees to serve on the CIT to the Senate, including (1) Elizabeth J. Drake, an international trade lawyer in Washington, who was nominated to replace Senior Judge Richard K. Eaton; (2) Jennifer Choe Groves, an international trade and intellectual property lawyer in New York, who was nominated to replace Senior Judge Gregory Wright Carman; and (3) Justice Gary Stephen Katzmann of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, who was nominated to replace Senior Judge Jane A. Restani.