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“NOMINATION OF MICHAEL J. COPPS'S TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR TRADE DEVELOPMENT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Senate section on pages S7323-S7325 on June 26, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
NOMINATION OF MICHAEL J. COPPS'S TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
FOR TRADE DEVELOPMENT
Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I urge this body to confirm Michael J. Copps to be the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development. Mike Copps has been enormously effective as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Basic Industries; the sooner the Senate approves his nomination, the sooner he can go to work to further our nation's economic interests and develop new trade opportunities for American industry.
It has been my privilege to know Mike Copps for over 25 years. He served on my staff for 15 years and was my administrative assistant for over a decade. In that time, I came to know and respect Mike; and today there is no one whose judgment I value more highly or in whose abilities I place greater confidence. In fact, Mr. Chairman, I can think of no one better suited to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development than Michael Copps.
Mike is a man of measured judgment and extraordinary maturity, and he possesses a keen, analytical mind. I can state from personal experience that he is the consummate chief of staff--cool and collected, Mike Copps leads by example. In moments of crisis, he was calm. In times of indecision, he was resolute. And he always demonstrated high-minded principle and professionalism.
I have been an elected servant of the people over the span of six decades, Mr. Chairman; and in this time, I have seen many people forget the purpose of public service. But Mike Copps never has forsaken his dedication to the public good. His moral compass has never wavered. I can pay no greater tribute to Mike Copps than to say he is a public servant without equal. Truly, this is the greatest accolade one can garner.
Perhaps one way to underscore Mike Copps' unique temperament and keen intellect is to explain the origins of my relationship with him. Mike came to my staff in 1970, to help with writing and other tasks. From this humble beginning, he rose in less than five years to be my administrative assistant. Now, I pride myself on my staff, and for someone to rise from a newly hired assistant to chief of staff in the Senate in just five years is highly unusual. But Mike Copps has made a career out of making the unusual seem routine.
Just look at what he has accomplished since taking over as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Basic Industries in 1993. His tenure has been one of the busiest and most purposeful in that office's history. DAS Copps has conceived, organized, and successfully achieved public sector-private sector partnerships in the belief that we can succeed in the world of global commerce only through close cooperation between industry and government. This has been the guiding light of his tenure at Commerce: fostering public sector-private sector cooperation to strengthen U.S. industry and benefit U.S. consumers.
For example, under Mike Copps' leadership, the Commerce Department's Basic Industries division has administered seven highly innovative Market Development Cooperator Program Awards. This competitive matching grants program provides two private sector dollars for every federal dollar and builds public-private partnerships by providing assistance to non-profit export multipliers.
DAS Copps chairs the U.S.-Russia Business Development Committee's Oil and Gas Working Group. The BDC is the principal venue for bilateral discussions on trade between America and Russia. Chairman Copps played an important role in pushing successfully for the removal of the export tax for U.S. companies shipping oil out of Russia and in reducing Russian oil excise taxes.
In China, Copps negotiated the terms of reference for working groups in the electrical power, chemical, and automotive industries; developed policy and trade promotion programs for each; and started a broad range of working group activities involving both the private and public sectors.
Copps also helped create similar partnerships involving forest products and agribusiness in Russia, energy and agribusiness in the Ukraine, and electrical power in Turkey.
To see how effectively Deputy Assistant Secretary Copps has promoted U.S. industries, just look at what he has done for the automotive industry. Under his leadership, the Commerce Department's Office of Automotive Affairs has become the lead agency of the U.S. Government in providing both the expertise for our nation's global automotive negotiations and its trade promotion initiatives. During the past two years, for example, the Office has convened meetings to successfully resolve 23 outstanding Japanese vehicle standards issues.
The Office of Automotive Affairs also contributed its expertise and participation to ongoing U.S.-Korean automotive negotiations, an ASEAN automotive trade initiative, and to U.S.-Brazil automotive talks. All these initiatives have helped reinvigorate the U.S. auto industry and have helped it achieve a level playing field and a competitive edge overseas.
Mike Copps has been able to compile this impressive record of achievement because he combines a tremendous work ethic, wonderful diplomatic skills, and a rigorous and analytical mind. In addition, he possesses a historical perspective unmatched by anyone I have met in government. Before joining my staff in 1970, he had earned his Ph.D. in history and taught courses at Loyola University for three years. His appreciation for the forces of history and the perspective his studies gave him make Mike Copps especially suited for this job, which requires an understanding not only of economic forces and trade negotiation, but also of America's role in the world and the cultures of our trading partners.
Mike Copps possesses all the qualities we admire in our public servants. Professional and grave in matters of the public trust, he is also witty and diplomatic. He values good policies over politics, but he understands the importance of both in the arena of international trade. After working in the Senate, private industry, and the Department of Commerce, he appreciates the concerns and needs of both sectors and knows the compromises necessary to create successful public-private partnerships.
Finally, I would note that Mike Copps' dedication begins at home. He is a devoted family man, and I know his wife Beth and his five children are justifiably proud of his service and achievements. Unlike some in Washington, Mike has never forgotten the values and ideals that count the most. I believe his moral compass points him in the right direction so infallibly because it is grounded in the family he treasures above all else.
Mr. President, I urge speedy confirmation of Michael J. Copps to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development. We cannot afford to delay action on such an effective and dedicated public servant.
nomination of john o'leary to be united states ambassador to chile
Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to express my strong support for the nomination of John O'Leary to be the next United States Ambassador to Chile, and my appreciation to the Foreign Relations Committee for their prompt and favorable review. I urge the Senate to do likewise.
I know that Mr. O'Leary will be a credit to his fellow Mainers and the citizens of the United States. On June 13th, I was proud to join with my colleagues in the Maine delegation--Senator Collins, Representative Allen, and Representative Baldacci--to introduce this outstanding candidate to the Foreign Relations Committee. Mainers have had a long and proud tradition of service to this nation and John O'Leary is the latest individual to carry on this tradition. We in Maine are proud of him and know he will make the nation proud as well.
Mr. O'Leary brings a wealth of talents to the table, and a review of his background reveals a man well-qualified for the demands and responsibilities of the post for which he has been nominated.
Since his graduation from Yale Law School in 1974, John O'Leary has built an impressive career in law distinguished by a strong intellect and a commitment to the highest ethical standards. He is a leader in the American legal field, having recently served as the Chair of the American Bar Association's eleven-person Standing Committee on Environmental Law. He has also been entrusted with one of eight seats on the First Circuit Advisory Committee on Rules.
Mr. O'Leary's outstanding leadership and organizational skills are also evidenced by his management of complex litigation. In fact, his efforts led one major national retailer to choose Mr. O'Leary's firm, Pierce Atwood, for its annual award for quality and value--the first time a law firm had ever been chosen from among the retailer's global vendors for such an honor. His analytical mind coupled with a studious attention to detail would be of tremendous benefit to the United States' interests in Chile.
Mr. O'Leary is also no stranger to public and community service. His commitment to civic affairs in Maine are evidenced by his election to the City Council of Maine's largest city, Portland, and his service as Mayor. He has also contributed of his time and talents as a trustee and president of the Portland Public Library.
Finally, John O'Leary's extensive background and interest in Latin American affairs would be invaluable to U.S.-Chile relations. His impressive resume includes participation on an arbitration panel for the Inter-American Commercial Arbitration Commission, working on a matter involving Venezuela; and service on a three member United States team that assisted Bolivia in sustainable development matters. From 1991 to 1997, Mr. O'Leary also served as President of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Committee of the Inter-American Bar Association (IABA), which was charged with overall responsibility for the IABA committee's activities in Chile and throughout the Americas.
And finally, in March of 1997, he both chaired and organized a major conference in Argentina on ``Development, the Environment and Dispute Resolution in the Americas''--which incidentally was the first such American Bar Association program ever run in South America.
Mr. President, we in the Senate have the solemn responsibility of ensuring that those Americans we send abroad to represent our nation and her interests are individuals of the highest character and most outstanding qualifications. Today, we have before us a nominee who fulfills those criteria most ably. I met with Mr. O'Leary prior to his confirmation hearing and that meeting only confirmed what I have already stated--that I believe him to be an outstanding choice for Ambassador. He is a man of intellect and integrity, who knows how to work with people and knows how to get things done.
Mr. President, I am pleased that the Senate is about to act to confirm John O'Leary as our next Ambassador to Chile. It is a decision I believe all of my colleagues will be proud that we made.
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