Biden's economic team is set to be historically diverse
President-elect Joe Biden is picking several women, including women of color, for top economic posts in his administration, joining expected Treasury secretary nominee Janet Yellen in breaking barriers, people familiar with Biden's plans told several news organizations Sunday. He will officially unveil his team on Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Biden is expected to name Princeton labor economist Cecilia Rouse as chairwoman of his Council of Economic Advisers, to be joined by campaign economic advisers Heather Boushey and Jared Bernstein. He will also reportedly nominate Neera Tanden, head of the center-left Center for American Progress, as director of the Office of Management and Budget. Rouse, who is Black, and Tanden, whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from India, would be the first women of color to lead their respective departments.
Biden is also reportedly leaning toward Brian Deese, another alumnus of the Obama White House, for director of the White House National Economic Council, though the Journal says Roger Ferguson, chief executive of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, is also under consideration. Deese might face some resistance from the left because he is currently an executive at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Biden's expected pick for deputy Treasury secretary, Adewale "Wally" Adeyemo, also worked as a senior adviser at BlackRock from 2017 until 2019, though he also helped Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) set up the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, the Journal notes. Adeyemo, whose family immigrated from Nigeria when he was a child, would be the first Black deputy Treasury secretary.
Biden's economic team will be crucial to his efforts to reshape an economy still struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the end of federal coronavirus financial support. It isn't guaranteed that a GOP-led Senate would confirm all of Biden's economic picks, and Senate Republican aides have already suggested that should the GOP control the upper chamber after Georgia holds its runoff elections, Tanden would be blocked because she said mean things about GOP senators on Twitter.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Quiz of The Week: 20 - 26 April
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
Humza Yousaf clears the decks to battle no-confidence vote
Speed Read First minister is 'done', according to insider, but a single vote could change the balance
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Immunotherapy and hay fever
The Explainer Research shows that the treatment could provide significant relief from symptoms for many hay fever sufferers
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Mark Menzies: Tories investigate MP after 'bad people' cash claims
Speed Read Fylde MP will sit as an independent while party looks into allegations he misused campaign funds on medical expenses and blackmail pay-out
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why Johnson won't just pass Ukraine aid
Speed Read The House Speaker could have sent $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine — but it would have split his caucus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published