Katherine Tai, the chief commerce lawyer for the Home Methods and Means Committee, is gaining assist from a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress to be the following U.S. commerce consultant, officers with direct information of conversations advised POLITICO.

A number of members of Congress, together with members of each events within the Senate, have instructed Tai because the potential chief of USTR in conversations with the President-elect Joe Biden’s transition staff, say 4 officers on Capitol Hill and one other veteran commerce lawyer.

The lawmakers embody progressive Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) who mentioned in an announcement that Tai is the “most certified candidate for the job.”

“She performed a vital position in securing actual enhancements for staff within the [U.S.-Mexico-Canada] settlement final yr,” he mentioned. “She is uniquely ready to deal with points on China and is aware of the best way to accomplice with our allies to advance U.S. pursuits.”

Brown added that “as the primary girl of coloration to guide USTR, Katherine’s nomination would even be historic.”

Average Democrats and a few Republicans assist Tai as effectively, mentioned one staffer to a member of Congress concerned within the discussions. Her work on commerce points has additionally earned accolades from a variety of key Democratic constituencies, together with enterprise leaders and commerce unions.

“I’d say that, virtually unanimously, everybody likes Katherine Tai,” the staffer mentioned. “And even when they don’t agree along with her, they see her as affordable.”

These aware of the discussions had been granted anonymity to talk freely about her potential candidacy.

The sources warning that it’s uncommon for a Home staffer like Tai to instantly bounce into a cupboard position with out first serving as deputy. And there are different, extra distinguished names in rivalry for USTR, together with Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), a Methods and Means member who has expressed curiosity within the place.

Gomez’s workplace didn’t reply to a request for remark. If he or one other lawmaker is called, Tai may find yourself in a deputy position. Tai additionally didn’t reply to a request for remark, whereas the Biden transition staff declined remark.

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Progressive teams have been pushing for a pacesetter at USTR with a powerful observe document on labor points. Tai has some key expertise and accomplishments that insiders say may make her a better option over different candidates.

As the pinnacle commerce lawyer on Methods and Means, Tai, , together with Speaker Nancy Pelosii’s workplace, helped direct the negotiations with the Trump administration on very important modifications to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Settlement that changed NAFTA.

The Trump administration and a gaggle of Home Democrats spent months final yr strengthening labor and enforcement language within the deal after Democrats demanded more durable provisions to be able to win their assist for the deal.

“By USMCA, she proved herself to be well liked by all of the members, Home and Senate, and downtown — everybody from the AFL-CIO to the Chamber [of Commerce] and the Enterprise Roundtable,” the staffer mentioned. “The touchdown spot she received from that gave her followers on each side downtown. It’s a singular feat to have [labor and big business] in line on one thing like that.”

That have has senior members of the Home Methods and Means committee expressing their assist for her potential nomination, whilst certainly one of their very own vies for the position.

“I’d hate to lose her from our committee workers, however she would greater than make up for it with what she may carry to the USTR,” mentioned Rep. Earl Blumenauer, head of the Methods and Means subcommittee on commerce. “Katherine performed a useful position in main the Methods and Means workers whereas working with members and out of doors teams on the renegotiated NAFTA. She’s educated, affected person, and inventive.”

The enterprise group additionally sees her as a gentle hand who can chart a path between progressives and moderates competing to affect the incoming administration’s commerce coverage.

Tai was additionally head of China enforcement at USTR earlier than she joined the Methods and Means Committee in 2014, and speaks fluent Mandarin.

All that would show essential in coping with a rising China and administering what most commerce consultants count on will probably be a troublesome agenda with Beijing. The Biden administration is anticipated to hunt concessions from China earlier than probably eradicating the billions in tariffs imposed below President Donald Trump, and the brand new U.S. commerce consultant will face strain from Beijing and American companies to deal with the problem straight away.

“Katherine Tai is extraordinarily effectively ready from her stints within the USTR normal counsel workplace and on the Hill,” mentioned one senior enterprise official in Washington. “In her position at Methods and Means, she has needed to navigate a variety of views on commerce inside the Democratic caucus, and that have is sweet preparation.”

Naming Tai to the highest put up would supply Democrats the additional benefit of not eradicating a sitting lawmaker from Congress, which might danger chopping into the social gathering’s slim majority.

Home leaders have discouraged extra members of the Democratic caucus from taking jobs within the administration. Though Gomez gained his Los Angeles-area seat by 53 p.c to 47 p.c this month, Democrats is probably not eager to contest a particular election there early in Biden’s time period.

Tai has “received lots that might be engaging in a USTR at this juncture in historical past,” mentioned a veteran Washington commerce lawyer aware of discussions with the transition. “She is admittedly supported by a large spectrum of parents throughout the Democratic social gathering within the Home and Senate. It’s laborious to search out anyone that may say a nasty phrase about her.”

Doug Palmer and Sabrina Rodriguez contributed to this text.