WASHINGTON – The Senate confirmed Katherine Tai as the top U.S. trade envoy in an overwhelming bipartisan vote on Wednesday .
She will be the first Asian American and first woman of color to hold the position. Tai is considered a problem-solving pragmatist, and her nomination by President Joe Biden to be U.S.
trade representative drew support from Democrats and Republicans alike. She was confirmed on a 98-0 vote and is the 19th member of Biden's Cabinet to clear the Senate.
A former trade negotiator and congressional staffer, Tai has vowed to work for a U.S. trade policy that benefits ordinary workers, not just big corporations, and to work more closely with America's allies to confront an increasingly assertive China.