Longtime Democratic economist Gene Sperling will oversee the rollout of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus package, the president is expected to announce Monday.
But Biden’s appointment, which should occur during Monday afternoon remarks that are part of a broader publicity push for the spending measure, scrambles speculation regarding another high-profile administration vacancy: the next permanent director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.
BIDEN’S SPENDING BILL SALES STOPS ARE IN BATTLEGROUND, NOT RED, STATES
Sperling had been floated as a possible replacement for Neera Tanden. Tanden, the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, withdrew her nomination to become Biden’s budget chief after losing Sen. Joe Manchin’s support. The West Virginia Democrat said he could not back Tanden over her hyperpartisanship, mostly via tweets harshly criticizing GOP lawmakers and former President Donald Trump.
Sperling was the top economic adviser for former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and had similar roles during Biden’s and Hillary Clinton’s campaigns.
Although a Goldman Sachs alumnus, among other consultant jobs and fellowships, including at CAP, Sperling boasts liberal bona fides. He founded the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution in 2002 and published a book last year titled Economic Dignity.
OMB deputy director nominee Shalanda Young has a groundswell of support from congressional Democrats and Republicans to lead the agency responsible for Biden’s budgeting, regulatory initiatives, and policy implementation after she takes over in an acting capacity following her Senate confirmation.
Ann O’Leary, another Clinton confidant and CAP alumna who specializes in health, education, labor, and economic security policy, is another contender for the OMB directorship.
Biden has personal experience with the task set to be before Sperling, having helped oversee Obama’s 2009 $787 billion spending package.
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Biden signed the 2020 spending package into law last week. Under the measure, eligible people began receiving $1,400 stimulus checks over the weekend. Its provisions also expanded tax credits for working families. It will send billions of dollars in aid to states and local governments and included a 12-figure allocation to assist school reopenings as well, two elements critics will watch for waste.
