Committee approves Trump’s choice to lead trade office

WASHINGTON – A Senate panel has unanimously approved President Donald Trump’s pick to represent the U.S. in trade negotiations.

The 26-0 vote by the Finance Committee on Tuesday moves the nomination of Robert Lighthizer to the full Senate.

Lighthizer served as deputy U.S. trade representative under President Ronald Reagan. He has also worked on trade issues as a lawyer representing various manufacturers and high-tech companies.

The committee also approved granting Lighthizer a waiver from a law that prohibits anyone who has represented a foreign entity in trade negotiations with the U.S. from being the nation’s top trade representative.

Democrats agreed to the waiver after earning commitments from Chairman Orrin Hatch to work with them to protect coal miners’ health care benefits as part of a spending bill to keep the government running.