Crapo Statement at USTR, HHS, Treasury Nominations Hearing
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing to consider Bryan Switzer to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR), Gustav Chiarello III to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Michael Stuart to be General Counsel of HHS and Derek Theurer to be a Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury.
As prepared for delivery:
“This meeting will come to order. Thank you to our nominees, Mr. Switzer, Mr. Chiarello, Mr. Stuart and Mr. Theurer for being here today. Congratulations on your nominations and thank you all for your willingness to serve.
“We will first hear from Rick Switzer, who is nominated to serve as the Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) for Asia, Textiles, Investment, Services and Intellectual Property.
“Mr. Switzer has over 25 years of experience advancing U.S. strategic interests both domestically and internationally. Throughout his career as a Foreign Service Officer at the Department of State, he negotiated international agreements, expanded market access for U.S. businesses, and protected American firms from unfair trade practices such as intellectual property theft and forced technology transfer. I look forward to working with him, if confirmed, to ensure that USTR implements policies that promote U.S. competitiveness, build supply chain resilience and address emerging global challenges.
“Next, we will hear from Gus Chiarello, who is nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
“The ASFR is responsible for providing advice and guidance to the Secretary on all aspects of budget, financial management, acquisition policy and grants supervision. If confirmed, Mr. Chiarello would play a vital role in managing and overseeing the allocation of resources across the full range of HHS programs. His experience in consumer protection, regulatory reform, competition and antitrust issues will make him a valuable addition to the HHS team. As an attorney who served at both the Federal Trade Commission and with the House Judiciary Committee, he is prepared to ensure HHS resources are stewarded to benefit all Americans.
“We will also hear from Mike Stuart, who is nominated to serve as General Counsel of HHS.
“The General Counsel supports the development and implementation of the Department's programs by providing the highest quality legal services to the Secretary and the organization's various agencies and divisions. Mr. Stuart will be instrumental in making sure that new laws and regulations are effectively implemented at HHS. He is well suited for the position given his decades of legal experience, including previous service as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia. His experience prosecuting cases related to the opioid crisis and Medicaid fraud demonstrates a strong commitment to protect patients and root out waste and abuse in health care systems.
“Finally, we will hear from Derek Theurer, who is nominated to serve as Deputy Under Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the Treasury Department.
“The Deputy Under Secretary is responsible for advising the Secretary on congressional relations matters in order to assist in the formulation of policy and to determine the overall direction of the Department. Mr. Theurer is a veteran of Capitol Hill and undoubtedly understands the importance of keeping Congress informed of Departmental actions. Given his experience, I also expect him to prioritize timeliness in responding to inquiries from Congress.
“Thank you again to our nominees for their time today.”
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