GOP lawmakers offer differing opinions on Biden nominee Janet Yellen

Janet Yellen.
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to lead the Treasury Department, Janet Yellen, is considered well-respected in Republican circles, despite sparring with GOP lawmakers on occasion during her tenure as a Federal Reserve official. That respect has already made itself evident — Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), the top Republican on the House Financial Services Committee, said in a statement Tuesday that while he'll work against Biden's economic agenda, he believes Yellen "demonstrated her intellect, foresight, and independence during the financial crisis, and throughout her term as Fed Chair," indicating he's satisfied with Biden's choice.

Still, McHenry is in the House, so he won't have a confirmation vote. But Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the outgoing Senate Finance Committee chair, said he anticipates Yellen "would get a favorable view," with the caveat that the committee will need to do their due diligence before making a final judgment.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.