Kamal's

Some Senate members are blocking president Bush's top government jobs...
Among those is The USTR Nominee, Mr Rob Portman... See below AP paper dated April 18, 2005 :
...
Democratic senators have in place or are threatening to place "holds" on Bush's nominees to head three key agencies -- the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative...
...Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Indiana, says he won't allow a vote to confirm Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, as U.S. Trade Representative until Senate leaders agree to take up his bill on enforcing anti-subsidy laws against China and other non-market economies...

The man who will manage the future phases of US-Morocco's FTA... Nominated.

Here is a pitch from a washington paper:

BUSH NAMES REP. PORTMAN (R OH-2) AS NEW U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
In a surprise move, President Bush on March 17 tapped one of his closest congressional allies, Rep. Rob Portman (R OH-2), to be the next U.S. Trade Representative, giving the administration an insider’s influence in steering controversial trade pacts through Congress. Rep. Portman, 49, will succeed Robert B. Zoellick, who was confirmed by the Senate on February 16 as deputy secretary of State.

Rep. Portman has served as the GOP leadership’s liaison to the White House. He is also is vice chair of the Budget Committee and a member of the Ways and Means Committee and its Trade Subcommittee. Rep. Portman’s departure from the House is unlikely to result in a partisan turnover of the seat. Portman’s Second Congressional District, which includes part of Cincinnati, its suburbs and some rural territory in southern Ohio, is heavily Republican, and Democrats are not expected to stand much chance in a special election.