Deanna Tanner Okun was sworn in today as the 76th Commissioner of the United States International Trade Commission. The U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination on November 19, 1999, and the President signed her commission of appointment on December 1, 1999.

Commissioner Okun, a Republican of Idaho, was nominated by President Clinton for the statutory term that will expire on June 16, 2008.

Commissioner Okun served as counsel for international affairs to Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK) from 1993-1999, where she was responsible for the international trade issues that the Senator was involved with as a member of the Senate Finance Committee. She also handled international energy and foreign relations issues for the Senator, who is Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Earlier, Ms. Okun served as a legislative assistant to Senator Murkowski, responsible for his Foreign Relations Committee work, with an emphasis on East Asian affairs. Prior to her work with the Senator, Ms. Okun was an associate attorney and member of the International Trade Group at the Washington, DC, law firm of Hogan & Hartson. Earlier in her career, Ms. Okun was a research associate specializing in trade at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC.

Commissioner Okun is originally from Paul, Idaho. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with honors from Utah State University and received her J.D. with honors from the Duke University School of Law. She resides in McLean, Virginia, with her husband Bob Okun, and two daughters, Rachel and Kelsi.

The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices, such as patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.