Political Quotes

“my legislative director is a woman named Xiao. Lucy is her first name, Lucy Xiao. She said to me several months ago, after the election--Joe Biden was elected--she said: You know, we were working on the USMCA last year. We worked with a woman who was a very senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee staff to help make sure the environmental provisions in the law are not only strong but enforceable. She said: The woman we worked with is a top staff person on the House Ways and Means Committee. Her name is Katherine Tai. Lucy said to me: I think that Katherine Tai might make a good U.S. Trade Rep and may make a very interesting human story as well. I have huge respect for Lucy's judgment, and I turned around and I called on the phone the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, an old colleague from my days in the House, Richard Neal. I said: Richard, does the name ``Katherine Tai'' mean anything to you? He said: Oh, yes. She is a great member of my staff. I said: She has been suggested as someone who might serve as the U.S. Trade Rep. What do you think? He said: She would be excellent. She would be excellent. The next call I made was to Ted Kaufman, former U.S. Senator, former chief of staff to Joe Biden for many years, and the interim Senator in this body for 2 years after Joe was elected Vice President.…”