Indian-American nominated for key Commerce Dept job

Washington, May 28  US President Joe Biden’s administration has nominated another Indian-American, Arun Venkataraman, to a key position in the Commerce Department, according to the White House.

The White House on Thursday said Venkataraman has been nominated for the position of Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the US and Foreign Commercial Service.

According to the India West media outlet, Venkataraman currently serves in the Biden administration as Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce, advising the Department on trade and other international economic matters.

The Indian-American attorney also served in the administration of former President Braack Obama as the first-ever director of policy at the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.

“In that role, he helped shape the US government’s responses to critical challenges faced by firms in the US and in markets around the world, including China and India,” the White House statement announcing the nomination said.

In the Obama administration, Venkataraman also served in the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR).

Before joining USTR, Venkataraman was a legal officer at the World Trade Organization.

Venkataraman joins a record more than 40 Indian-Americans working in the Biden-Harris administration, The American Bazaar reported.

Besides Vice President Kamala Harris, daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, the team includes Indian-American physician Vivek Murthy and Vinay Reddy as Biden’s speech writer.