WASHINGTON, DC - Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas have called for the first meeting of the Trade Act of 2002's Congressional Oversight Group (COG) to take place on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002 at 2:00 pm in the Capitol Building.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick will attend the meeting to brief the COG on future U.S. trade negotiations and provide an update on ongoing negotiations with Singapore and Chile.
The Congressional Oversight Group was formed as a result of the passage of the Trade Act of 2002, which provided for the creation of a bipartisan Senate and House oversight group to work with the President and Administration agencies to shape and direct future trade negotiations and U.S. trade policy.
The initial invitations were extended to five Members of the Senate Finance Committee - as specified in the statute - and to the Chairman and Ranking Member (or their designee) of the Committees involved in preparing the NAFTA implementing legislation. The full list is below. Membership is subject to change as circumstances dictate.
Congressional Oversight Group
Proposed Membership
Finance Committee
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) - Chairman
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) - Ranking Minority Member
Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD)
Sen. John Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Agriculture Committee
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) - Chairman
Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) - Ranking Minority Member
Commerce Committee
Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-SC) - Chairman
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) - Ranking Minority Member
Governmental Affairs Committee
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) - Chairman
Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) - Ranking Minority Member
Judiciary Committee
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) - Chairman
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) - Ranking Minority Member
Foreign Relations Committee
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE) - Chairman
Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) - Ranking Minority Member
Source: Ranking Member’s News
