The US Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday approved, on a voice vote, the nomination of Robert Portman to be the top US trade official. The nomination now goes to the full Senate, where Sen. Evan Bayh, an Indiana Democrat, has threatened to place a "hold" on Portman's nomination unless Senate leaders schedule a vote on a piece of China trade legislation that is strongly supported by manufacturers. Any delay could prevent Portman, an Ohio Republican, from being confirmed in time to attend a meeting of trade ministers early next week in Paris.
The bill that Bayh is pushing would change US policy to allow the Commerce Department to put duties on Chinese imports to offset government subsidies. That could encourage US companies to file a flood of complaints charging China with subsidising exports.