Comer Outlines USTR’s Inadequate Cooperation with Probe into Abandoned Digital Trade Commitments, Renews Transcribed Interview Request

WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is today renewing the Committee’s requests for information related to the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) lack of commitment to a comprehensive consultation process, which led to a decision to abandon longstanding, bipartisan positions on digital trade. USTR’s lack of transparency and curious interactions with left-wing organizations led to a decision on digital trade that even voices within the Biden Administration questioned as a potential gift to China harming the interests of U.S. competitiveness, innovation, jobs, and internet freedom.

In a letter to USTR Ambassador Katherine Tai, Chairman Comer outlines USTR’s unsatisfactory responses to Committee requests and briefings and requests the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Director for ICT Services and Digital Trade Jillian DeLuna promptly be made available for a transcribed interview. The Committee will use the compulsory process if necessary to obtain information to address its concerns.

“Furthermore, during the June 12 briefing USTR staff acknowledged that virtually all documents sent to the Committee in response to its inquiry were limited to materials that were already public or had made been made available previously through Freedom of Information Act requests. This is not the level of cooperation the Committee can accept from federal agencies. The Committee remains concerned USTR eschewed longstanding processes for developing consensus and promoting transparency in favor of decisions made behind closed doors at the behest of political allies. Even the White House National Security Council considered USTR’s decision counter to U.S. goals in trade competition with China,” Chairman Comer wrote.

The committee first wrote USTR Ambassador Tai in March 2024 seeking documents and information related to its concerns about a lack of transparency in USTR’s consultation process. Over a month ago, the Oversight Committee requested a transcribed interview with the Director DeLuna. USTR has since failed to voluntarily schedule an interview, nor has it addressed the Committee’s concerns about secretive communications and undue influence certain ideological groups carry with USTR officials.

“USTR must take oversight and accountability seriously.  USTR should promptly provide possible dates for the Committee to conduct a transcribed interview with Ms. DeLuna under acceptable terms and communicate a plan that is responsive to the Committee’s concerns to search for relevant and non-public internal documents.  If USTR fails to take such steps without further delay, the Committee will consider the use of compulsory process to obtain these—and likely additional—testimonies and documents,” Chairman Comer continued.

Read the letter to USTR Ambassador Katherine Tai here.