The Office of the United States Trade Representative, or USTR, is an arm of the executive branch of the United States government. It is responsible for the United States' international trade policy at bilateral and multilateral levels.
The head of the office holds the title of United States Trade Representative, which is a Cabinet-level position (though not technically within the Cabinet). The acting USTR is Ambassador Peter Allgeier, who took over for Robert Zoellick, who left the post to become Deputy Secretary of State. On March 17, 2005, President George W. Bush nominated Congressman Rob Portman (R-Ohio) as trade representative.
Since the early 1980s, the USTR has played a key role in the expansion of intellectual property laws worldwide.
List of United States Trade Representatives
See also
