Biden to name Gene Sperling to lead Covid-19 relief plan: Administration official
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Mr Gene Sperling is the only person who headed the White House National Economic Council under two presidents.
PHOTO: GENE SPERLING/FACEBOOK
WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - US President Joe Biden will name Mr Gene Sperling to lead implementation of the US$1.9 trillion (S$2.56 trillion) Covid-19 relief plan signed into law last week, an administration official said on Sunday (March 14).
Mr Sperling, a top economic official in the administrations of former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, was ideally suited for the job because of his experience, the official added.
"There's no one who knows how the federal government works better than Gene Sperling, and there's no one better qualified to take charge of the implementation of the rescue plan and make sure it delivers for the American people," the official said.
Mr Sperling did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A White House announcement could come as early as Monday, according to Politico, which first said Mr Sperling was being considered for the job earlier on Sunday.
Mr Biden signed the hugely popular relief programme into law on Thursday, promising that it would aid the recovery of the US economy after a recession in 2020 caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The president and other top US officials will travel around the country starting this week to laud and explain the legislation.
The Bill provides US$400 billion for direct payments of US$1,400 to most Americans, aid of US$350 billion to state and local governments, an expansion of the child tax credit and more funds to distribute vaccines.
Passage of the legislation would speed the recovery of the US economy, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had said in a statement.
Mr Sperling, who served as an economic adviser for Mr Biden's presidential campaign, is the only person who headed the White House National Economic Council under two presidents - Mr Obama and Mr Clinton.
From 2009 to 2011, he served as a counsel to then Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, as the Obama administration responded to the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.
"He has a track record of translating complex policies into tangible results for working and middle-class families," said the administration official.
Mr Sperling had helped both administrations create jobs and boost economic growth following tough economic downturns, he added.
In his new role, Mr Sperling will work with the heads of the White House policy councils and leaders of federal agencies to ensure swift adoption of the relief package, the official said.