September 16,2002

COG Announcement

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, September 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