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| WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen Confirmed in a Historic, Bi-Partisan Senate Vote | | 01/26/2021 | U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Public Affairs Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2021 Contact: Alexandra LaManna; press@Treasury.gov WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen Confirmed in a Historic, Bi-Partisan Senate Vote WASHINGTON – Secretary Janet Yellen was confirmed in a historic vote by the United States Senate as Secretary of the Treasury Department, gaining broad bi-partisan support. The Senate confirmation came days after Secretary Yellen won unanimous backing from both Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee. Secretary Yellen has the deep experience to meet this moment and get the economy back on track, strengthen the financial system, and restore jobs. As the first woman to lead the Treasury Department - and the first person to have ever served as Treasury Secretary, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors and Chair of the Federal Reserve - Secretary Yellen is a strong, crisis-tested leader prepared to address the urgent economic and financial policy decisions facing the nation. Here’s what they’re saying about Secretary Yellen’s Senate confirmation: Sen. Tammy Baldwin: I voted for Janet Yellen to become the first woman to lead @USTreasury in its 231-year history. Our new Treasury Secretary has deep experience that will be essential to take on the urgent economic crisis we face and #BuildBackBetter by investing in American workers. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Michael Bennet: Secretary Yellen’s overwhelming, bipartisan confirmation is an affirmation of her ability to lead and a positive sign for our country as President Biden’s administration begins. I’m grateful for her lifetime of service and willingness to serve once again. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Rep. Don Beyer: Warmest congratulations to @JanetYellen , the first woman to hold the office of Secretary of the Treasury, on her bipartisan confirmation. Secretary Yellen is the kind of experienced, crisis-tested leader the country needs [to] overcome this historic economic crisis. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Richard Blumenthal: Janet Yellen is supremely qualified to confront the monumental challenges facing our economy—providing strong, serious leadership at the Treasury Department. I was honored to cast my vote in favor of her confirmation. Not only will Janet Yellen make history as the first woman to lead the Treasury Department, but she will be the steady, experienced hand we need to guide us out of an economic crisis that the last administration exacerbated at every turn. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Bob Casey: I'm headed to the Senate floor to confirm Janet Yellen for Treasury Secretary. She has the experience & vision to ensure the Treasury Department is at the forefront of the fight for working families, and I look forward to working with her to support our Commonwealth and country. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Tammy Duckworth: Secretary @JanetYellen is a uniquely-qualified, crisis-tested leader whose expertise will be essential as @POTUS takes on the economic challenges facing our country. I am confident she will be an effective advocate in helping us build back a better economy for everyone. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Dianne Feinstein: The swift confirmation of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the first woman to head that department, is great news for our country. No one is better prepared to help President Biden steer us out of this financial crisis. Secretary Yellen’s confirmation shatters another glass ceiling. In a field dominated by men, it’s refreshing to see a woman leading @USTreasury I look forward to working with her and President Biden to turn our economy around and help millions of Americans get back to work. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Mitch McConnell: “I’ll be voting to confirm Dr. Yellen today. I look forward to working together on pro-growth policies that can help rebuild the thriving economy for American workers that was in place just one year ago.” [Floor remarks] Sen. Jeff Merkley: Janet Yellen has proven herself to be a champion for broad-based economic growth that reaches everyone in our country. Her confirmation today breaks a long-standing glass ceiling for women in leadership and I look forward to working with her as we set out to unrig our economy. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Patty Murray: @JanetYellen is the first woman to lead the Treasury Department—a historic milestone at a challenging time for our country. I look forward to working with Secretary Yellen on the bold solutions needed to ensure we all get through this crisis—not just those at the top. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Gary Peters: We’re in the middle of an unprecedented economic crisis due to #COVID19 & need steady leadership to rebuild our economy for Michigan families & workers. Janet Yellen is uniquely qualified to help jumpstart our economy. Pleased she was confirmed on a bipartisan basis. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Chuck Schumer: At the Treasury Department, there are long hallways where portraits hang of all 77 Treasury Secretaries—all men, all the way back to Alexander Hamilton. I'm thrilled to vote for Janet Yellen today and add the first portrait of a woman to that hallway. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Thom Tillis: My statement after the Senate voted to confirm Secretary of the Treasury nominee @JanetYellen As former chair of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen brings extensive experience and knowledge to the @USTreasury. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Reverend Raphael Warnock: Tonight, I voted to confirm @JanetYellen as Treasury Secretary, and I look forward to working with her to help get Georgia the COVID-19 relief we need in every corner of the state. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Our smart, tough, and principled new @USTreasury Secretary @JanetYellen understands that we need to act big to help our economy, small businesses, and working families recover from this crisis. I was proud to vote to confirm her today and I'm looking forward to working with her. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Sen. Ron Wyden: “Chair Yellen is an exceptional economist who has a rare gift – she can take complicated economic theories and put them into understandable language, all while showing real heart for the millions of Americans who are hurting [...] . Nobody deserves more credit than Chair Yellen for the longest economic expansion in our history, which lasted until the pandemic hit.” [Floor remarks] Rep. Pramila Jayapal: Historic but also the right person for this tough moment! I worked with Janet Yellen as I put together my Paycheck Recovery Act. She is brilliant and understands how to help families, businesses and America overcome this economic devastation. Looking forward to working with her. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Financial Services GOP: Today Janet Yellen was confirmed as @USTreasurySec. “I think it’s important we have credible and experienced people to serve at the highest levels of government. Yellen has clearly demonstrated her capacity during her public service,” said RM @PatrickMcHenry on her nomination. [Tweet, 1/25/21] Andrea Mitchell: #Janet Yellen is confirmed as Treasury Secretary 84-15 perhaps the most qualified for the post ever as former Fed Chair head of Obama Council of Economic Advisors and leading academic economist. Oh yes, also the 1st woman Treasury Secretary [Tweet, 1/25/21] ####  | | Janet L. Yellen Sworn In As 78th Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury | | 01/26/2021 | Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2021 Contact: Alexandra LaManna; press@Treasury.gov Janet L. Yellen Sworn In As 78th Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury WASHINGTON – Earlier today, Vice President Kamala D. Harris administered the oath of office to Janet L. Yellen. Secretary Yellen is the first woman to lead the U.S. Department of the Treasury in its 231-year history, and the first person to have served as Treasury Secretary, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, and Chair of the Federal Reserve. She has previously been confirmed by the Senate on four separate occasions. ###  | | Daily Guidance for Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | | 01/26/2021 | Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2021 Contact: Alexandra LaManna; press@Treasury.gov Daily Guidance for Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen Tuesday, January 26, 2021 Earlier today, Vice President Kamala D. Harris administered the oath of office to Janet L. Yellen, who was sworn in as the 78th United States Secretary of the Treasury. During her first day in office, Secretary Yellen will be meeting virtually with her advisors, as well as career and political leadership. She will also be briefed on the status of the American Rescue Plan and the implementation of relief programs. ###  | | Day One Message to Staff from Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen | | 01/26/2021 | U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Public Affairs Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2021 Contact: Alexandra LaManna; press@Treasury.gov Day One Message to Staff from Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen WASHINGTON – Today, after being sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury by Vice President Kamala D. Harris, Secretary Janet L. Yellen sent a letter to the 84,000 public servants of the Department. The text of the letter is below: Dear colleagues, My name is Janet Yellen, and a short while ago, I was sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the Treasury. It’s an incredible honor to join this team of 84,000 public servants. I can’t overstate that. When President Biden asked if I would accept the position of Treasury Secretary, I said “yes” in large part because I knew who I would be working with. I had just spent fourteen years at the Federal Reserve. The Treasury staff weren’t exactly our coworkers. But during the financial crisis, the two teams grew close. I remember participating in a countless string of late-night conference calls and admiring the dedication and creativity of Treasury’s experts. Your work helped save the economy from its worst crisis since the Depression. Now we need to do it again. Of course, the current crisis is very different from 2008. But the scale is as big, if not bigger. The pandemic has wrought wholesale devastation on the economy. Entire industries have paused their work. Sixteen million Americans are still relying on unemployment insurance. Food bank shelves are going empty. I know many Treasury employees have been responding to the economic emergency since the beginning. Without Treasury, for instance, Americans would not have received economic impact payments from the CARES Act. But now we must complete the task. We must help the American people endure the final months of this pandemic by making sure they have roofs over their head and food on the table. Then, we must assist them in getting back to work safely. This task will occupy our days (and probably many of our nights) in the near future. But even as we work to recover from this pandemic, we cannot forget about the Department’s usual business; the essential work that ranges from overseeing financial markets, to managing the nation’s finances, to strengthening the global economy and fighting illicit finance in partnership with America’s allies. Then, there is another set of long-term objectives. If you have listened to President Biden speak over the past few weeks, you have heard him talk about “four historic crises.” COVID-19 is one. But in addition to the pandemic, the country is also facing a climate crisis, a crisis of systemic racism, and an economic crisis that has been building for fifty years. People worry about a K-shaped recovery to the pandemic – and that is a cause for concern – but long before COVID-19 infected a single individual, we were living in a K-shaped economy, one where wealth built on wealth while certain segments of the population fell further and further behind. I believe our Department can play a major role in addressing each of these crises. After all, economics isn’t just something you find in textbook. Nor is it simply a collection of theories. Indeed, the reason I went from academia to government is because I believe economic policy can be a potent tool to improve society. We can – and should – use it to address inequality, racism, and climate change. These are ambitious goals, and I am fully aware none of them will be accomplished by working exclusively with a small team out of the Secretary’s office. Ours will have to be an inclusive Department. We must tap the full measure of the institution’s talent and expertise. That is why over the next few weeks, I plan to meet with each office and bureau. I want to hear from you about what needs changing and what we can do better. I’m excited about this “listening tour,” and you can expect more details in the coming days as we determine how to conduct these meetings virtually. During my confirmation hearing, I spoke about why I became an economist. The reason was my father. He was a doctor in a working-class part of Brooklyn. He was also a child of the Depression. He would come home at night, and he would tell us when one of his patients had lost a job or couldn’t pay. My father had such a visceral reaction to economic hardship. Those moments remain some of the clearest of my early life, and they are likely why, decades later, I still try to see my science – the science of economics – the way my father saw his: as a means to help people. I know that many of you share this sensibility. You see economic policy as a way to improve people’s lives; you see the humanity beneath the data. I cannot be sure about the future, but I expect that when economists look back at this period in American history, they’ll conclude that perspective helped us leave behind a stronger, more prosperous country. I am profoundly glad to be working alongside dedicated public servants once again. I look forward to meeting you. And I hope to do so in person sooner rather than later. Sincerely, Secretary Yellen
| Treasury Announces Appointment of Key Members of Staff | | 01/25/2021 | U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Public Affairs Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 25, 2021 Contact: Alexandra LaManna, Press@treasury.gov Treasury Announces Appointment of Key Members of Staff WASHINGTON – Today, the United States Department of the Treasury announced new members of staff who will serve in key roles. These qualified, tested, and skilled leaders will join a team prepared to deliver results by getting the economy back on track, strengthening the financial system, and restoring jobs. These appointees represent diverse and varied communities and will put service to the American people at the forefront of their work. They also reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to assembling a team of experts with diverse backgrounds Biographies of the appointees are listed below in alphabetical order: Natalie Wyeth Earnest, Counselor to the Secretary for Strategic Communications Natalie Wyeth Earnest is returning to the Treasury Department after serving as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs during the Obama-Biden Administration. In that role, Earnest was the principal communications advisor to Secretary Jack Lew, and directed public affairs and external communications on issues including economic policy, domestic finance, tax policy, international affairs, and illicit finance. She also managed the communications for Secretary Lew’s confirmation by the U.S. Senate in 2013. Earnest joined Treasury in 2009, under Secretary Tim Geithner, as the spokesperson for international affairs. Before joining the administration, she served as a spokesperson for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, the 2008 Obama-Biden campaign, and the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Prior to that, she was press secretary for Governor Kathleen Blanco’s Louisiana Recovery Authority, which focused on securing funding, establishing principles for redevelopment, and leading regional planning efforts to rebuild southern Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Most recently, Earnest managed communications for Treasury Secretary-designate Yellen’s nomination as part of the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition. Earnest received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California. She lives on Chicago’s North Shore with her husband and their two children. Aditi Hardikar, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary Aditi Hardikar most recently served as the Leadership and Training Lead for the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition. She spent three years at the Obama Foundation, first as Chief of Staff with a focus on strategic planning and organizational growth, and then as the Acting Vice President for Operations on the development team, overseeing data and analytics, communications, and research. During the second term of the Obama-Biden Administration, Hardikar was Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, serving as the primary liaison to the LGBTQ and AAPI communities for issues including economic opportunity, health care, transgender rights, data collection, and youth homelessness. Hardikar served as Coalitions Finance Director for the Clinton-Kaine presidential campaign, helped lead LGBTQ fundraising and outreach efforts on the Obama-Biden reelection campaign, and led LGBTQ and AAPI fundraising and strategy at the Democratic National Committee. Hardikar is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan. Aruna Kalyanam, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tax and Budget, Office of Legislative Affairs Aruna Kalyanam is a veteran of Capitol Hill, bringing over 21 years of experience in the tax policy legislative process with her to the Treasury Department’s Office of Legislative Affairs. Kalyanam most recently served on the Ways and Means Committee as Deputy Chief Tax Counsel and Staff Director of the Select Revenue Measures (the dedicated tax policy Subcommittee) under Chairman Richard E. Neal and Subcommittee Chairman Mike Thompson. She has been involved in every major tax legislative package on Capitol Hill since 2001, and led the Ways and Means Committee’s policy development on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and infrastructure. A native of Maryland, Kalyanam is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and the Washington College of Law at American University. Alexandra LaManna, Spokesperson, Office of Public Affairs Alexandra LaManna joins the Treasury Department from Lyft, Inc., where she was Head of Corporate, Crisis, and Financial Communications. At Lyft, LaManna led strategic communications, crisis and issues management, rapid response, and thought leadership programs. She also served as Lyft’s primary spokesperson and led communications for its 2019 initial public offering. LaManna is a trusted senior advisor with more than a decade of experience advising C-suite executives navigating complex business, competitive, reputational, and regulatory challenges. Prior to Lyft, she was a counselor for the global advisory firm Sard Verbinnen where she worked with clients on corporate positioning, as well as on issues advocacy programs for organizations and high-profile individuals facing crises, regulatory investigations, high-stakes legal challenges, and other sensitive matters. LaManna also oversaw communications efforts for various Cabinet nominees as part of the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition. Originally from New Jersey, she is a graduate of Northwestern University. Mark J. Mazur, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, Office of Legislative Affairs Mark J. Mazur was most recently the Robert C. Pozen Director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, where he led the organization since 2017. Mazur has served in the federal government for 27 years in various positions. He was a policy economist at the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation from 1989 to 1993. He then joined the Clinton-Gore Administration where he served in a number of roles, including: senior economist at the President’s Council of Economic Advisers; senior director at the National Economic Council; chief economist and senior policy adviser to the Secretary of Energy; Director of the Policy Office at the U.S. Department of Energy; and Acting Administrator of the Energy Information Administration. In 2001, he became the Director of Research, Analysis, and Statistics at the Internal Revenue Service. Mazur joined the Obama-Biden Administration in 2009 as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tax Analysis in the Treasury Department’s Office of Tax Policy. In 2012, he was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy, and he served in this role until early 2017. Before entering public service, Mazur was an assistant professor in Heinz College at Carnegie-Mellon University. He has a bachelor’s degree in financial administration from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in economics and a Ph.D. in business from Stanford University. A native of New Jersey, Mazur now lives in Silver Spring, Maryland. Angel L. Nigaglioni, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Appropriations and Management, Office of Legislative Affairs Angel L. Nigaglioni most recently served as Legislative Director and Counsel, as well as Appropriations Committee Associate Staff, to Congressman José E. Serrano, the Chairman of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee and Vice-Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee. Since 2013, Nigaglioni served under Congressman Serrano and worked on crafting, managing, and accomplishing Mr. Serrano’s legislative and appropriations priorities. Nigaglioni is a proud graduate from The George Washington University and Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Originally from Puerto Rico, he lives in Fairfax, Virginia with his wife. Damian Richardson, Special Assistant, Office of the Secretary Damian Richardson served on the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition as the Executive Assistant to Secretary-designate Yellen and the Treasury transition team, working closely with the incoming Chief of Staff to prepare for day one of the Administration. During the 2020 general election, Richardson was a campus organizer in the key battleground state of Wisconsin. Richardson is a recent graduate of Harvard College and a native of Oak Park, Illinois. ####  |
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