News Releases

September 28, 2012
News Release 12-102
Inv. No(s). 332-352
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

Program Continues to Have a Small but Indirect Effect on Drug Crop Eradication

Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) imports during 2011 continued to have a negligible overall effect on the U.S. economy and consumers, reports the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) in its study Andean Trade Preference Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers and on Drug Crop Eradication and Crop Substitution, Fifteenth Report, 2011.

The agency also noted that the ATPA continued to have a small but indirect effect in reducing illicit coca cultivation and promoting crop substitution efforts in the Andean countries in 2011.

The USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, recently issued its 15th report in a series monitoring imports under the ATPA and the impact of the ATPA on drug crop eradication and crop substitution. In 2011, the ATPA program afforded preferential tariff treatment to most products of Colombia and Ecuador. After May 15, 2012, when the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement entered in to force, Ecuador became the only ATPA beneficiary country.

Since the 14th report, two major changes have had an impact on the ATPA: Peru lost its ATPA eligibility at the beginning of 2011, and imports under ATPA in 2011 were significantly lower because of a lapse in the program. Highlights of the report, which focuses on calendar year 2011, follow:

• The effects of ATPA on the United States in 2011 were negligible. Total imports from ATPA countries represented 1.5 percent of the total value of U.S. merchandise imports in 2011. ATPA-exclusive imports accounted for 0.19 percent of the total value of U.S. imports.
• Of the products imported into the U.S. under the ATPA, U.S. consumers benefited the most from imports of fresh cut roses and fresh cut chrysanthemums through lower prices as a result of duty free treatment. U.S. producers of fresh cut roses were the most negatively impacted as lower priced imports led to a small reduction in domestic production.

   

• ATPA preferences expired on February 12, 2011, but were retroactively renewed on October 21, 2011. In addition, Peru lost its ATPA beneficiary status at the end of 2010. As a result of the lapse and the exit of Peru, imports entered under ATPA fell 70 percent, and ATPA-exclusive imports fell 68 percent.
• Most U.S. imports that entered under ATPA preferences were eligible for duty-free treatment only under the ATPA. Of the $4.4 billion in U.S. imports that were entered under ATPA in 2011, imports valued at $4.2 billion could not have received tariff preferences under any other program. These ATPA-exclusive imports accounted for 13.1 percent of the value of total U.S. imports from ATPA countries.
• Petroleum and petroleum products now dominate the list of leading imports that benefit exclusively from the ATPA. The five leading items benefiting exclusively from the ATPA in 2011 were heavy crude oil, light crude oil, heavy fuel oil, fresh cut roses, and light oil mixtures.
• Future effects of the ATPA on the overall U.S. economy and most economic sectors are expected to be minimal because U.S. imports from Ecuador (the only remaining ATPA beneficiary country) represent such a small portion of total U.S. imports (0.43 percent in 2011). Uncertainty over the future of ATPA trade preferences in 2011 discouraged investment in some sectors. Nevertheless, some investments could generate future exports to the United States under the ATPA, including frozen broccoli and cauliflower, pouched tuna, and plywood.
• The effectiveness of ATPA in reducing illicit coca cultivation and promoting crop substitution efforts in the Andean countries continued to be small and mostly indirect during 2010 and 2011. Although data were unavailable for 2011, illicit coca cultivation in the Andean region has declined in recent years. Sustained aerial and manual eradication operations in Colombia reduced coca cultivation nearly 15 percent in 2010, while Ecuador remained essentially free of drug-crop cultivation despite being a major transit country for drug trafficking.

Andean Trade Preference Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers and on Drug Crop Eradication and Crop Substitution, Fifteenth Report, 2011 (Inv. No. 332-352, USITC Publication No. 4352, September 2012) is on the USITC's Internet site at www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4352.pdf. The publication will also be available at federal depository libraries in the United States. A CD-ROM or printed copy of the report may be requested by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or writing to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.

USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

August 28, 2012
News Release 12-094
Inv. No(s). 332-534
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has launched an investigation into trade and market trends in the renewable energy services sector.

The investigation, Renewable Energy and Related Services: Recent Developments, was requested by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

The USITC provided reports on trade in this sector to the USTR in 2005. In the request letter, the USTR stated that since the publication of that report, the U.S. and global markets for such services have undergone significant change. The USTR noted that technological improvements and decreasing prices have led to rapid demand growth in the renewable energy services sector, particularly in the wind and solar power segments, but that changes in government incentive programs have created uncertainty regarding the future of the renewable energy market.

As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will, to the extent practicable:

• define types of renewable energy and related services, identify leading suppliers, and generally describe the relationship of renewable energy services to the development of renewable energy projects worldwide;
• estimate the size of the U.S. and global markets for certain renewable energy services, identify key export and import markets for such services, and describe factors affecting supply and demand;
• examine U.S. and global renewable energy services trade during 2007-2011, and highlight recent trends in investment in renewable energy projects and firms, including new business strategies or practices;
• identify barriers to U.S. trade and investment in renewable energy services, and examine recent efforts to liberalize trade in leading markets for such services; and
• examine the role of clean energy incentive programs in encouraging investment in and creating markets for renewable energy goods and services.

The USITC expects to deliver its report to the USTR by June 28, 2013.

The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with this at 9:30 a.m. on November 29, 2012. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on November 15, 2012, with the Secretary to the Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436.

The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record for the report. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary to the Commission at the above address and should be submitted no later than 5:15 p.m. on March 1, 2013. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.

Further information on the scope of the investigation and appropriate submissions is available in the USITC's notice of investigation, dated August 27, 2012. Questions about appearances and submissions should be directed to the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.

USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the USITC's objective findings and independent analyses on the subject investigated. The USITC makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigations reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

August 22, 2012
News Release 12-093
Inv. No(s). 332-533
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has launched an investigation into trade and market trends in the environmental services sector.

The investigation, Environmental and Related Services, was requested by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

The USITC provided reports on trade in the environmental services sector to the USTR in 2004- 2005. In the request letter, the USTR stated that since the publication of these reports, the U.S. and global markets for such services have undergone significant change. The USTR noted that although overall demand in the environmental services market has continued to rise, factors such as new technologies, tightening government budgets, and growing interest in environmental sustainability have altered the means through which such services are supplied.

As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will, to the extent practicable:

 

 

 

 

 

 

• estimate the size of the U.S. and global markets for certain environmental and related services, including water and wastewater services, solid and hazardous waste services, and remediation services; identify top suppliers and key country markets for such services; investigate factors affecting supply and demand in these market segments; and highlight market developments that have occurred within the last five years;
• estimate the value of trade and investment in the environmental services segments under investigation, identify key export and import markets for such services, and discuss recent trends in environmental services trade and investment; and
• identify barriers to trade and investment in the environmental services segments under investigation, discuss recent efforts to liberalize trade and investment in environmental services, and investigate the potential impact of further liberalization in environmental services.

The USITC expects to deliver its report to the USTR by March 29, 2013.

The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with this investigation at 9:30 a.m. on October 22, 2012. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on October 4, 2012, with the Secretary to the Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436.

The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record for this report. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary to the Commission at the above address and should be submitted no later than 5:15 p.m. on October 30, 2012. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.

Further information on the scope of the investigation and appropriate submissions is available in the USITC's notice of investigation, dated August 21, 2012. Questions about appearances and submissions should be directed to the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.

USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the USITC's objective findings and independent analyses on the subject investigated. The USITC makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigations reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

August 21, 2012
News Release 12-091
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-709 (Third Review)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that revoking the existing antidumping duty order on certain seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from Germany would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determination, the existing order on imports of this product from Germany will remain in place.

Chairman Irving A. Williamson and Commissioners Shara L. Aranoff, Dean A. Pinkert, and David S. Johanson voted in the affirmative. Commissioner Daniel R. Pearson did not vote. Commissioner Deanna Tanner Okun did not participate in this review.

Today's action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. See the attached page for background on this five-year (sunset) review.

The Commission's public report Certain Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and Pressure Pipe from Germany (Inv. No. 731-TA-709 (Third Review), USITC Publication 4348, August 2012) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the review.

Copies may be requested after September 20, 2012, by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or writing to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by fax at 202-205-2104.

 

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BACKGROUND

The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the USITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (USITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.

The Commission's institution notice in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file responses with the Commission concerning the likely effects of revoking the order under review as well as other information. Generally within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the USITC's notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.

The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determination in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission's prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the review, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.

The five-year (sunset) review concerning Certain Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and Pressure Pipe from Germany was instituted on April 2, 2012.

On July 6, 2012, the Commission voted to conduct an expedited review. All six Commissioners concluded that the domestic group response for this review was adequate and the respondent group response was inadequate and voted for an expedited review.

A record of the Commission's vote to conduct an expedited review is available from the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by telephone by calling 202-205-1802.

August 9, 2012
News Release 12-090
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-1189 (Final)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of large power transformers from Korea that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Chairman Irving A. Williamson and Commissioners Deanna Tanner Okun, Shara L. Aranoff, Dean A. Pinkert, and David S. Johanson voted in the affirmative. Commissioner Daniel R. Pearson did not participate in this investigation.

As a result of the USITC's affirmative determination, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order on imports of this product from Korea.

The Commission's public report Large Power Transformers from Korea (Investigation No. 731- TA-1189 (Final), USITC Publication 4346, August 2012) will contain the views of the Commissioners and information developed during the investigation.

Copies may be obtained after July August 30, 2012, by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or by writing the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

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FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Large Power Transformers from Korea
Investigation No. 731-TA-1189 (Final)

Product Description: The product covered by this investigation is large power transformers. The subject merchandise includes large liquid dielectric power transformers (LPTs) having a top electric power handling capacity greater than or equal to 60,000 kilovolt amperes (60 megavolt amperes), whether assembled or unassembled, complete or incomplete. The merchandise subject to this investigation is classified for tariff purposes under subheadings 8504.23.00 and 8504.90.95 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).

 

Status of Proceedings:

1.   Type of investigation:  Final antidumping.
2.   Petitioners:  ABB Inc. (ABB), Cary, NC; Delta Star Inc. (Delta Star), Lynchburg, VA; and
  	Pennsylvania Transformer Technology Inc. (PTTI), Canonsburg, PA.
3.   Investigation instituted by USITC: July 14, 2011.
4.   USITC hearing: July 10, 2012.
5.   USITC vote: August 9, 2012.
6.   Scheduled date for USITC notification of Department of Commerce: August 24, 2012.

U.S. Industry:

1.   Number of producers in 2011: Five.
2.   Location of producers' plants:  California, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina,
  	Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
3.   Employment of production and related workers in 2011:  
4.   Apparent U.S. consumption in 2011: 137,243 (in terms of quantity in megavolt amperes)
5.   Ratio of the value of total U.S. imports to total U.S. consumption in 2011: 1/ 

U.S. Imports:

1.   From the subject country during 2011:  1/
2.   From other countries during 2011:  1/
3.   Leading sources during 2011: 1/


__________________________________
1/ Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.

July 26, 2012
News Release 12-082
Inv. No(s). 332-503
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

Three years after its implementation, the Earned Import Allowance Program (EIAP) is not providing enough incentives to help boost the competitiveness of Dominican apparel exports in the U.S. market, as intended, reports the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) in its publication Earned Import Allowance Program: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Program for Certain Apparel from the Dominican Republic; Third Annual Review.

The EIAP allows apparel manufacturers in the Dominican Republic who use U.S. fabric to produce certain apparel to earn a credit that can be used to ship eligible apparel made with non-U.S.-produced fabric into the United States duty free. The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, as amended, requires the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, to evaluate annually the effectiveness of the EIAP program and make recommendations for improvements.

The USITC's third annual review was submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means and the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance on July xx, 2012. Highlights of the report follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• As currently structured, the EIAP has not provided enough incentives to curtail the ongoing declines in the Dominican Republic's production of woven cotton bottoms and exports.
• Although U.S. exports of cotton bottom-weight fabrics grew in 2011, the rate of growth slowed significantly from the first two years of the program.
• The USITC received several recommendations from industry and other sources concerning improvements to the EIAP. The recommendations were the same as those offered during the first and second annual reviews. They included lowering the 2-for-1 ratio of U.S. to foreign fabric to a 1-for-1 ratio; including other types of fabrics and apparel items in the EIAP; and changing the requirement that dyeing, finishing, and printing of eligible fabrics take place in the United States.

Earned Import Allowance Program: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Program for Certain Apparel from the Dominican Republic; Third Annual Review (Investigation No. 332-503, USITC Publication 4340, July 2012) is available on the USITC's Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4340.pdf. A CD-ROM of the report may be requested by e-mailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or contacting the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.

USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Senate Committee on Finance, or the House Committee on Ways and Means. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subject investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

July 12, 2012
News Release 12-077
Inv. No(s). 332-345
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

 

U.S. Services Exports Grew by 9 percent from 2009-2010

 

The United States remained the world's largest services market and the world's leading exporter and importer of services in 2010, reports the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) in its publication Recent Trends in U.S. Services Trade, 2012 Annual Report.

The USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, compiles the report annually. Each year's report presents an overview of U.S. trade in services and highlights some of the service sectors and geographic markets that contributed substantially to recent services trade performance.

This year's report focuses on infrastructure services, such as banking and telecommunications, which are essential to a country's overall economic growth and development and are used by every firm regardless of economic sector. The report also includes separate chapters on specific industries (banking, insurance, logistics, retail, securities, and telecommunications). These chapters analyze global competitive conditions in the industry, examine recent trade performance, discuss non-tariff measures that affect trade, and summarize the industry's outlook.

The 2012 report covers cross-border trade in services through 2010 and affiliate sales through 2009. Highlights of the report follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• From 2009 to 2010, U.S. cross-border services exports increased by 9 percent (to $518 billion) while U.S. services imports grew by 6 percent (to $358 billion). This represented a recovery from the previous year, when exports and imports of services fell following the financial crisis. Infrastructure services accounted for 25 percent of total U.S. cross-border services exports and 37 percent of cross-border imports in 2010.
• Services supplied abroad by foreign affiliates of U.S. firms continued to exceed services purchased from U.S. affiliates of foreign firms, reaching $1.1 trillion and $669 billion, respectively, in 2009. Infrastructure services accounted for 60 percent of both sales and purchases of services through affiliates.
• The value added (i.e., the output minus the cost of inputs) by U.S. infrastructure services in 2010 was $3.8 trillion, equal to 43 percent of the value added by all services and 34 percent of total private sector GDP. This figure had declined in previous years as the financial crisis and ensuing recession weakened demand, but the sector's value added in 2010 represented 6 percent growth over the previous year.
• Infrastructure services employed 30 million full-time-equivalent employees in 2010, equal to 30 percent of the total U.S. private sector workforce. Retail services accounted for 13 million of these employees. In 2010, labor productivity in infrastructure services grew by 7 percent while average annual wages grew by 4 percent (to $56,000), exceeding the private sector average wage but trailing wages in goods manufacturing and professional services. Both productivity and wages varied widely among infrastructure services industries.
• Regulation is a recurring theme among infrastructure services industries covered in this year's report. For example, financial reforms enacted in 2010 affected the banking, insurance, and securities services industries. Such regulations aim to address the potential negative effects of providing services and to meet economic and social objectives. However, regulations can also represent non-tariff measures that impede the ability of services providers to enter and operate in markets.
• The outlook for growth in each infrastructure service industry is, for the most part, dependent on the overall level of economic growth, although factors such as regulatory reform, technological innovation, and market access will also have a major impact. Joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions are likely to increase as a way for firms to reduce costs and enter foreign markets. Market access will be increasingly important to the banking, logistics, and retail industries, which anticipate faster demand growth in developing countries than in developed countries.
• The USITC hosted its fifth annual services roundtable on November 3, 2011. The discussion, summarized in the report, covered multilateral and regional trade negotiations, ways to harmonize services regulations, and services industries' contributions to global economic activity.

Recent Trends in U.S. Services Trade, 2012 Annual Report (Investigation No. 332-345, USITC publication 4338, July 2012) is available on the USITC's Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4338.pdf.

June 11, 2012
News Release 12-067
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

Deanna Tanner Okun, Chairman of the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), has announced that Dr. Robert B. Koopman has been appointed the USITC's Director of Operations.

Koopman will oversee the investigative and research activities of the agency's Offices of Investigations, Unfair Import Investigations, Industries, Economics, Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements, and Analysis and Research Services.

Prior to his appointment, Koopman served as the Director of the USITC's Office of Economics, where he functioned as the agency's Chief Economist. He was appointed to that position in July 1999. Previously, Koopman worked for 15 years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). He was the Deputy Administrator for Economic and Community Systems in the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service at the time of his USITC appointment. Earlier, he was the Deputy Director of the Commercial Agriculture Division of the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS). He began his professional career at the ERS as an economist and later served as Leader of the ERS Central and Eastern Europe Section and Chief of the ERS Europe, Africa, and Middle East Branch.

Koopman holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern Maine. He lives in Alexandria, VA, with his wife and three children.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency that makes determinations concerning the impact of imports and their potential injury on domestic companies. The USITC staff includes experts who analyze virtually every commodity imported into the United States. The USITC provides data on international trade to the President, Congress, other federal agencies, and the public.

June 7, 2012
News Release 12-065
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

Deanna Tanner Okun, Chairman of the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), announced today that Chris Swetz has been designated as the Director of the Office of Budget at the USITC.

Swetz will serve as the agency's Budget Director. In that role he will work with the Commissioners and Office Directors in the formulation and execution of the agency's budget.

Prior to his USITC appointment, Swetz worked for 10 years with the Veterans Benefits Administration within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, most recently as a Supervisory Budget Analyst. He served as a Lead Budget Analyst from 2008 to 2010 and a Budget Analyst from 2004 to 2008 and from 2002 to 2003. Swetz was a Veterans Service Representative with the VA from 2001 to 2002.

Swetz served as an Infantryman with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve from 1995 to 2001.

Swetz holds a bachelor's degree in government and politics from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in public administration from Troy State University. He resides in Washington, DC.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency that makes determinations concerning the impact of imports and their potential injury on domestic companies. The USITC staff includes experts who analyze virtually every commodity imported into the United States. The USITC provides data on international trade to the President, Congress, other federal agencies, and the public.

June 4, 2012
News Release 12-063
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

Deanna Tanner Okun, Chairman of the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), announced today that Patricia R. Connelly has been designated as the Director of the Office of Human Resources at the USITC.

Connelly will plan, develop, and direct the USITC's human resources management program.

Connelly has more than 30 years of experience in the federal human resources (HR) field, including 15 years of management experience. She served as Director, Human Resource Management, at the Peace Corps from 2007 until her USITC appointment. Prior to that, she held numerous HR positions with increasing responsibilities with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), most recently Manager of Recruitment and Placement at USPS headquarters; Team Leader, HR Field Policies and Programs, at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC; and Manager of Human Resources in the USPS Central New Jersey District Office. Connelly's earlier USPS positions yielded experience in labor relations, compensation and staffing, employee benefits and services, and delegated examinations.

Connelly holds a bachelor of science degree in human resource management from the State University of New York, Albany, and a master of science degree in organizational development/HR from Johns Hopkins University. Connelly is certified as a Senior Professional of HR by the HR Credentialing Institute (HRCI), and as an Executive/Leadership coach by the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC). She resides in Alexandria, VA, and has two grown children - Jill, from West Hills, CA, and Anthony, from Lorton, VA.

The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency that makes determinations concerning the impact of imports and their potential injury on domestic companies. The USITC staff includes experts who analyze virtually every commodity imported into the United States. The USITC provides data on international trade to the President, Congress, other federal agencies, and the public.