Alaska senators cast deciding votes to advance trade court nominee, 49-48

A tariff-court nominee whose rulings could directly affect Alaska's seafood exporters advanced in the U.S. Senate Thursday on a 49-48 cloture vote to end debate on her nomination. A final confirmation vote is still pending.

Kara Marie Westercamp, an attorney in the White House Counsel's Office, was nominated by President Trump for the Court of International Trade, which decides tariff, customs, and trade remedy disputes. In May 2026, a three-judge panel of the court struck down portions of Trump's tariff program, and critics have described the nomination as part of his effort to reshape the federal judiciary. Both Alaska senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, voted yes.

The nomination could matter for Alaska because the court handles trade disputes that can affect exporters. The CDQ program sets aside 10 percent of Bering Sea federal fishery harvests for 65 communities, and the Coastal Villages Region Fund serves more than 9,000 people across 20 villages, generating roughly $90 million in annual revenue before the recent industry downturn.

The Alliance for Justice opposes her confirmation, saying she is "entirely unfit" for a lifetime appointment. "Westercamp's substantial personal involvement in President Trump's trade agenda raises serious concerns about her ability to be sufficiently impartial," the group said.