“The issue that we have tried to bring transparency to is the decision-making process inside USTR and the one-sided nature in which that decision process was driven, against the wishes of the broader Congress and against the wishes of others in the administration,” Sean Heather, the Chamber’s senior vice president for international regulatory affairs and antitrust, told Law360. “The question is, what is in the U.S. national interest?”
The Chamber’s Tuesday statement highlighted that the USTR’s “close coordination with Senator Warren’s office raises serious questions about transparency and influence.” The organization noted the selectively deferential approach and early communication on significant decisions impacting digital trade rules and other trade-related matters.
A spokesperson from the USTR criticized the Chamber’s interpretation of the documents, stating, “The Chamber, through its ongoing cherry-picked FOIA campaign, once again shows that it believes only those who share its views should be given time and attention by USTR.”
