FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Thank you, Chairman Roth, Senator Moynihan and members of this Committee, for the opportunity to appear before you today in connection with my nomination to be General Counsel of the Department of the Treasury. I am deeply honored to be President Clinton's nominee for this position, and I am sincerely grateful to Secretary Summers and former Secretary Rubin for recommending me to the President. I also very much appreciate the strong support I have received from Deputy Secretary Eizenstat.

Mr. Chairman, as you know, the General Counsel serves as the chief legal officer of the Treasury Department, and one of the critical duties of this position is to provide legal advice to the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary and other senior Department officials. This advice is on matters ranging from the government's fiscal operations to law enforcement to domestic and international economic affairs.

I have spent the past four and a half years serving as the Deputy General Counsel at the Treasury. In that capacity I have gained a strong foundation in the activities of the Department's Legal Division and have provided advice and counsel to its senior officials on a wide range of issues. My service has given me great respect for my colleagues at Treasury and, in particular, the extraordinary talent and experience of Treasury's career legal staff.

I look forward to working closely with the Congress, especially with you, Mr. Chairman, and the other members of this Committee. I have enormous respect for this institution, and I am deeply committed to maintaining a close working relationship between the executive and legislative branches of our government.

Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to you for bringing me before this Committee, and I would be pleased to respond to any questions that you or members of this Committee may have.