US President Donald Trump nominates 2 Indian-Americans for key positions

Currently a public member of the Administrative Conference of the US, Neomi Rao has previously served in all three branches of the federal government.

Washington, April 8: President Donald Trump has nominated two Indian-Americans for key administrative posts to coordinate US law-enforcement strategy around copyright, patents and trademarks and oversee his plan to eliminate 75 per cent of federal regulations.

Prominent Indian-Americans Vishal Amin and Neomi Rao will be Trump's new IP and regulatory czars respectively as he nominated them yesterday while making many administrative appointments.

Amin has been nominated to be the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator while Rao will be the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).

If confirmed by the US Senate, Amin, who is currently a Senior Counsel on House Judiciary Committee, would succeed Daniel Marti.

He also served in the administration of President George W Bush at the White House, as Associate Director for Domestic Policy, and at the US Department of Commerce, as Special Assistant and Associate Director for Policy in the Office of the Secretary, a statement said.

Amin received his bachelor's degree in neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University and his law degree from Washington University in St Louis.

"The prompt appointment and consideration of this position is critical, and we commend President Trump for his choice. Vishal Amin is a smart, thoughtful leader and we look forward to working with him," said Cary Sherman, chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America.

Rao has been nominated to be the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), a statutory part of the Office of Management and Budget within the Executive Office of the President.

OIRA reviews regulations from federal agencies and has the power to reject rules that do not fall in line with the President's goals.

"Trump's selection of Rao suggests the administration is serious about regulatory reform, not merely reducing high-profile regulatory burdens," said 'The Washington Post'.

"The selection of a well-respected administrative law expert further suggests the administration recognises the need to be attentive to legal constraints on administrative action and that meaningful reforms require more than issuing a few executive orders. Rao is a superlative pick," the report said.

Rao, a professor at the George Mason University where he founded and directs the Center for the Study of the Administrative State, has focused his research and teaching on constitutional and administrative law.

Currently a public member of the Administrative Conference of the US, Rao has previously served in all three branches of the federal government. She served as Associate Counsel to President George W Bush's counsel for nominations and constitutional law to the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary and law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas of US Supreme Court. She practised public international law and arbitration at Clifford Chance LLP in London.

Rao received her JD with high honours from the University of Chicago and her BA from Yale University.

PTI