Casey Higgins

Casey Christine Higgins has nearly a decade of experience serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, most recently in the Office of the Speaker of the House Paul Ryan as Assistant to the Speaker for Policy and Trade Counsel. In that role, Casey was responsible for advising Speaker Ryan and the Republican leadership on matters under the purview of the Ways and Means, Judiciary, Homeland Security and House Administration committees. Her work focused on issues including trade negotiations and programs, immigration and border security, regulatory reform, intellectual property rights, state taxation, constitutional issues, the courts, the civil and criminal code, crime and terrorism, cybersecurity, transportation security, election law and campaign finance reform. Casey served as primary liaison to the Obama administration and, subsequently, the Trump administration, House and Senate leadership and committee offices, and key constituencies on and off Capitol Hill on behalf of the Speaker.

She guided and coordinated committees of jurisdiction in developing and enacting legislation; developing and executing policy, communications and political strategies to advance the legislative objectives of the House Republican Conference; and identifying, organizing and leading external stakeholders in support of legislative initiatives.

Prior to her work in the Speaker’s office, Casey served as trade counsel to the House Committee on Ways and Means, during which time Congress enacted the Bipartisan Trade Priorities and Accountability Act (TPA), the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 and the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2015. Casey served as a liaison between the administration and members of the Ways and Means Committee, and consulted with businesses, associations and interest groups regarding trade negotiations and trade matters.

She began her Capitol Hill career while in law school, serving as a law clerk to the House Committee on the Budget. Casey also served as a law clerk to Federal Election Commission Commissioner Donald F. McGahn II, the Republican National Lawyers Association and a lobbying firm.

Experience:

• Has broad experience with issues before the House Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Homeland Security committees.
• Served as Assistant to the Speaker for Policy and Trade Counsel for former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).

Representative Work:

• U.S. House of Representatives Experience:
  • Secured a compromise between the House, administration and Senate that increased protection of civil liberties and earned support for the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act (CLOUD Act) in the House, paving the way for enactment of the bill that creates the authority and framework for the United States to establish reciprocal international agreements enabling law enforcement agencies to access data in each other’s countries to investigate and prosecute crimes.
  • Worked with members of Congress, the Senate and House leadership to develop and pass the TPA, which delineates congressional negotiating objectives, provides for congressional oversight of the U.S. Trade Representative and establishes fast-track procedures in Congress for consideration of a free trade agreement.
  • Directed five committees in the drafting of “A Better Way: Task Force on the Constitution,” a platform that focused on enforcing limits on agency authority, reforming the rulemaking process, effectively exercising the power of the purse and conducting robust oversight of the executive branch; subsequently secured House passage of nearly all task force proposals.
  • Guided House passage of the first authorization of the Department of Homeland Security since its creation in 2003.
  • Served as point person for the House on border security and immigration negotiations with the Trump administration and the Senate in the context of appropriations and immigration reform legislation. Worked with Republicans and Democrats in Congress as well as outside groups in previous Congresses to draft legislation addressing border security, reforms to the legal immigration system, and the undocumented population.
  • Negotiated and shepherded enactment of legislation that reformed the process to enact miscellaneous tariff bills (MTB) to ensure compliance with the 2011 congressional earmark ban, and achieved subsequent enactment of the MTB Act, which temporarily reduces or suspends duties on certain U.S. imports.

Affiliations:

• Member, Washington International Trade Association.
• Member, Association of Women in International Trade.
• Member, Republican National Lawyers Association.
• Assistant to the Speaker for Policy and Trade Counsel for former Speaker Paul Ryan, November 2015 to January 2019.
• Trade counsel to the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means, January 2015 to October 2015.
• Legislative Counsel, Office of Rep. Paul Ryan.

Education:

• J.D., The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, 2011
• B.A., University of Wisconsin – Madison, 2008