Katherine Tai today was confirmed as the next U.S. Trade Representative. Tai is the first Asian American person and the first woman of color to hold the position. In response, the BlueGreen Alliance released the following statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh:

“Katherine Tai’s confirmation comes at a critical time for our country’s trade policy, as we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, economic inequality, and racial injustice, as well as the impacts of climate change. Our nation’s trade agenda plays a key role in meeting our climate goals. We can either allow jobs and pollution to leak over our borders, or we can lead the rest of the world in acting on climate change in a manner that lifts up working people.

“Katherine Tai understands the critical impact that trade has on working people and the environment and we are happy to congratulate her on her confirmation.”