Senate Unanimously Confirms Three Indian-Americans To Key Govt Positions:- Three Indian-Americans have been confirmed by the Senate to key government positions.

The Senate confirmed Neil Chatterjee as a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Vishal Amin as czar on Intellectual Property (IP) Enforcement Coordinator in the Trump administration. As the US ambassador to Peru, Krishna Urs was confirmed.

A career foreign service officer since 1986, Krishna is the  second Indian-American to have been selected for an ambassadorial position by the administration. Specialized in economic issues, Urs in the Andean region of South America has developed extensive policy experience. At seven United States embassies as well in senior leadership positions in Washington, DC, Urs has served.

A two-term former governor of South Carolina, Haley is the US ambassador to the United Nations and holds a cabinet-level position in the administration. She is the first Indian-American to do so in any US Presidential administration.

Amin, as the new IP Czar would be responsible for enforcement of intellectual property. The IP is an area of sharp differences between India and the United States.

In April, the US retained India for “lack of improvement” in the intellectual property (IP) framework, on its priority watch list this year. However, India termed the report as an unilateral move by the US. Presently, Amin is the senior counsel on the House Judiciary Committee.

“Vishal Amin has been a valued member of my staff and will continue to be a tireless advocate on behalf of America's innovators and creators,” said Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Earlier, he had served as associate director for Domestic Policy in the administration of President George W Bush and as special assistant at the Department of Commerce and associate director for policy in the Office of the Secretary, the White House said.

Chatterjee, currently the energy policy adviser to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Over the years, he played a main role in the passage of major energy, highway, and farm legislations. “Chatterjee has an extensive knowledge of the many important federal issues facing our industry and customers,” said Edison Electric Institute (EEI) President Tom Kuhn. 

He worked as a principal in Government Relations for National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, prior to serving McConnell. Urs is currently charge d’affaires of the US Embassy in Madrid, Spain, where he was also the deputy chief of mission.

SUPRAJA