Bush nominates Ohio lawmaker as U.S. trade representative

Mark Drajem

Thursday, March 17, 2005 | 10:09 a.m.

U.S. Representative Robert J. Portman was nominated to be the nation's top trade negotiator, as President Bush seeks support in Congress for his agenda of using international trade to spur economic growth at home.

Portman, a 49-year-old Republican from Ohio, would replace former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick, who left in February to take the No. 2 post in the State Department. A former trade lawyer, Portman has been in Congress since 1993.

"Rob has shown he can bring together people of differing views to get things done," Bush said at a news conference from Washington today.

Portman will need to spur along global trade negotiations that have hit roadblocks over agriculture subsidies, and convince lawmakers that new trade deals make sense against the backdrop of a record trade deficit and declining manufacturing employment.

"Congress has been less and less enthusiastic about trade, and so picking someone from Congress is going to help," said Frank Vargo, vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, which represents 12,000 U.S.-based companies. The administration "is going to need a good liaison with Capitol Hill and he can do that."

Bush will face at least three tests of his trade agenda in the next few months: Winning passage for a Central American free trade accord; keeping his "fast-track" trade authority; and resisting congressional efforts to withdraw the U.S. from the World Trade Organization.