Brown took the lead in promoting U.S. business abroad, even creating a war room at the Commerce Department, where more than 150 major contracts around the world were tracked daily. And Brown traveled continuously, often taking groups of business leaders with him. In China and elsewhere he met personally with foreign officials on behalf of American companies. In all, Brown, who was killed last year during a mission to the former Yugoslavia, took at least 23 trips to 30 countries, including South Africa, Russia, and Indonesia. Executives from more than 200 companies traveled with him.
Some critics argue taxpayer dollars shouldn t be used to promote business deals for corporations.
And last year, the Center for Public Integrity and other public interest groups alleged invitations to participate in trade missions were direct payoffs for corporations contributing to President Clinton s re-election effort. The Commerce Department denied the allegations. At his confirmation hearings last January, William Daley said he would reform the way trade missions were organized. There is a place for politics in our public life, but there is no place for politics in the Department of Commerce. If confirmed, I plan to take two immediate steps to address the concerns members of this committee and others have raised.