Casey Christine Higgins, Senior Counsel, Public Law & Policy

Casey Christine Higgins

Senior Counsel

Areas of Focus

Casey Christine Higgins, Senior Counsel, Public Law & Policy

Casey Christine Higgins

Senior Counsel

cchiggins@akingump.com

Areas of Focus

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Biography
  • Over a decade navigating complex legislative, policy and regulatory matters in both private and public capacities before the federal government.
  • Broad experience with issues before the House Judiciary, Ways and Means, Homeland Security, Energy and Commerce, and Education & the Workforce committees, as well as the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees.
  • Maintains deep relationships with congressional Republicans after having served as Trade and Policy Counsel to former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).

Casey provides strategic advice to clients to meet their business objectives and influence public policy. Casey’s experience in House Republican leadership, on a congressional committee and in a congressional member’s office has provided her with a holistic perspective that serves as a valuable resource to clients that are seeking guidance and crafting strategy on policy issues crucial to their business.

Drawing on her years of experience, Casey plays a vital role connecting her clients with key stakeholders in federal government. She routinely bridges the gap between the private sector and all levels of government to advance her clients’ policy agendas.

Casey has established herself as an accomplished leader in the domestic policy space, particularly in the areas of tech, commerce, sports and entertainment, and issues under the purview of the Judiciary Committee. Casey uses her insider-level knowledge of the inner workings of the House and Senate to mobilize Champions within Congress.

Prior to joining Akin, Casey served in the Office of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) as Assistant to the Speaker for Policy and as Trade Counsel. In this role, Casey served as 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. 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. 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 Congressional 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.

Representative Work
  • Represented the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), as well as an association of independent theater owners, to secure critical relief for venues during the COVID-19 pandemic; Crafted the bipartisan Save Our Stages Act (SOS Act) and helped guide passage of the bill that included an historic $16 billion government investment in the arts, which provided emergency relief for independent venues and other small businesses to help them survive the pandemic. On December 27, 2020, the SOS Act was signed into law.
  • Advocating on behalf of the Tim Tebow Foundation, focusing on initiatives to prevent child sexual exploitation and combat human trafficking, as well as crafting appropriations report language. Working on a bill aimed at expanding the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) HERO Child Rescue Corps, a paid federal internship that recruits and trains veterans as computer forensic analysts to combat child exploitation.
  • Advised the top collegiate athletic conference on the development and passage of federal legislation addressing high-profile issues in collegiate athletics, such as compensation for student athletes based on name, image, and likeness, and assembled a coalition of high-profile conferences to support legislation for national uniformity, ensuring student athletes are not classified as employees and placing reasonable limitations.
  • Worked closely with Sandy Hook Promise to engage congressional support of the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, heralded by many as the most significant piece of federal gun safety legislation in decades. On June 25th, 2023, the Act was signed into law.
  • Advocated on behalf of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association to introduce the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which focused on horse safety and track maintenance, as well as minimum safety standards and practices for the thoroughbred racing industry. With strong bipartisan support from Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), HISA was passed and signed into law in December 2020.

U.S. House of Representatives Experience

  • Guided House passage of the first authorization of the Department of Homeland Security since its creation in 2003.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Education
  • J.D., The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, 2011

  • B.A., University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2008

Bar Admissions
  • District of Columbia

  • Wisconsin

Recognitions
  • The National Law Journal, Entertainment Trailblazers, 2021.
  • Billboard, Top Music Lawyer, 2020-2021.
Affiliations and Public Service
  • Member, Washington International Trade Association
  • Member, Association of Women in International Trade
  • Member, Republican National Lawyers Association
  • U.S. House of Representatives
    • Assistant to the Speaker for Policy and Trade Counsel, the Honorable Paul Ryan (R-WI)
    • Trade Counsel, House Committee on Ways and Means, Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI)
    • Legislative Counsel, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

Insights and Achievements

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