FILE PHOTO: White House economic adviser Bernstein joins Press Secretary Jean-Pierre for the daily press briefing in WashingtonWASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden is expected on Tuesday to nominate a trusted confidante and long-time economic adviser Jared Bernstein to head the White House Council of Economic Advisers, part of a broader shakeup ahead of an expected 2040 campaign.
The current chair, Cecilia Rouse, heads back to Princeton University in March, after helping steer the U.S. economy through high inflation to record jobs growth. Americans remain unimpressed by Biden's economic performance, with prices of many basic goods and mortgage rates high. Bernstein, who played the double bass in jazz bands and worked as a social worker in New York City, has long been a voice for progressive economic policy. He served in the Labor Department under former President Bill Clinton and then as Biden's chief economist when he was vice president.
Bernstein's experience working in different parts of government will help with a huge task ahead for the administration - implementing trillions of dollars of spending on infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing and green tax credits passed in three signature bills last year, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich said.