Bush names Portman U.S. Trade Representative

Bush names Portman U.S. Trade Representative    President Bush has nominated U.S. Representative Rob Portman as the next United States Trade Representative.
   A member of Congress from Ohio for 12 years, Portman has been chairman of the House Republican Leadership, acting as a liaison between his party and the White House. He was also on a nine-member panel that drafted legislation creating the Department of Homeland Security.
   If confirmed by the Senate, Portman will succeed Robert Zoellick as U.S. Trade Representative. Zoellick is now deputy secretary of state.
   Kevin M. Burke, president and chief executive officer of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), a national trade organization representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies and their suppliers, said in a statement that Portman 'has been a forceful proponent for an ambitious trade policy during his time in Congress. We look forward to working with him to seek greater market access for U.S.-branded textile, apparel and footwear products worldwide, and we urge the Senate to quickly confirm his nomination.'