To embed, copy and paste the code into your website or blog: This report is the first of a series in which White & Case's International Trade Group will examine the Biden administration's trade agenda and the key institutions that shape US trade policy. On February 25, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Ms. Katherine Tai to serve as United States Trade Representative (USTR). 1 The hearing followed the recent appointments of 13 individuals to serve in senior staff positions at USTR, announced on February 8. 2 There is considerable interest in how members of President Biden's administration will shape the US trade agenda going forward, particularly given the unprecedented shifts in US trade policy and the multilateral trading system in recent years. USTR, a creation of Congress that is part of the Executive Office of the President, plays a central role in the development, implementation and enforcement of US trade policy. Understanding the mission of the USTR, as well as its statutory role in the broader legal framework and interagency process for formulating US trade policy is of critical importance when considering how personnel decisions may influence the direction of policy.