7 minute read
through December 21
BIDEN-HARRIS transition team nominates highly respected and competent economic public servants to assist in rebuilding economy
Janet Yellen Neera Tanden Wally Adeyemo Cecilia Rouse Jared Bernstein Heather Boushey
In a recent letter sent to us, President elect Joe Biden writes:" this year not only saw smaller gatherings around the Thanksgiving table, but also a lot more uncertainty for American families. The COVID - 19 pandemic has not only caused a public health crisis, but an economic crisis too.
That is why, both Vice - President elect Kamala Harrris and I, your President - elect, will take this economic crisis head on. and deliver immediate relief to the American people.. Therefore, I am proud to present to all of you, our nominations for the economic leadership team, who will help build our economy back better than ever.
JANET YELLEN, as Secretary of the Treasury
Janet is one of America's leading economists. She served as the 15th Chair of the Federal Reserve, the first woman to lead America's central banking system. And now, if confirmed, she will break another glass ceiling , as the first woman to serve as Secretary of the Treasury, in its 231 years of existence, and the very first person to ever serve as Treasury Secretary, Chair of the Federal Reserve, and Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. I am proud to have her trail-blazing leadership at the helm of my economic team.
NEERA TANDEN, as Director of Office of Management and Budget
Neera is battle-tested and ready to get the job done, as our next Director of Office Management and Budget. She has been at the forefront in creating policies designed to support America's working families. She'll fight for your family as if it were her own, because her experience as a child relying on food stamps and section 8 housing, instilled in her a belief that our economy must serve the dignity and humanity of all people .If confirmed, she'll be the first woman of color and the first South Asian American to lead the OMB, and I am excited to watch her make history.
During the Obama - Biden administration, Wally was front and center at the economic decision - making table. .Among a broad range of posts, he served as President Obama's international economic adviser, and now currently serves as the president of the Obama Foundation. If confirmed, he would be the first African American Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. There is no one better equipped for this post to help lead America out of the current economic crisis and I am proud to have Wally on the team.
If confirmed to this post, Cecilia Rouse will become the first African American and just the fourth woman to lead the Council of Economic Advisers. She served on this council during the Obama - Biden administration and the National Economic Council during the Clinton administration. Cecilia is now the Dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, and I know that she is an accomplished leader, who has the experience to get things done and deliver real results.
Jared is one of our most trusted economic advisors, having served as my Chief Economist in the Obama - Biden administration. His previous work as Executive Director of the Obama - Biden White House Task Force on the Middle Class, at the Economic Policy Institute, the Clinton administration and as a social worker, make him uniquely equipped to lead on economic policies that expand opportunities for working Americans.
I've known Heather for a long time. and I know she'll make a terrific addition to the CEA. She is a leading voice on matters of economic policy and and now serves as the President & CEO of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. Heather has years of experience at think tanks and on Capitol Hill and is an expert on the impact of structural inequities on economic growth. I am proud to have her on board.
These highly qualified nominees, if confirmed will work tirelessly to ensure that Americans enjoy a fair return for their work and an equal chance to get ahead and that our businesses can thrive and outcompete the rest of the world.
I believe in this team. and I know that together, there's nothing we cannot do as Americans if we put our minds to it. Thank you for listening."
PROTESTS... fROm PagE 1
Council said local businesses have already suffered enough economic challenges since the pandemic began.
There was a lack of scientific evidence to support the ban, according to the resolution.
The unanimously approved resolution called on the LA County supervisors not to unilaterally implement a public health order but instead based it on data that identify a particular industry, sector or area.
In the same resolution, the city staff was asked to research the idea of forming a Beverly Hills public health department which would allow the city to set its own health rules and policies.
The City of Long Beach, which has its own health department, a new order has also banned outdoor dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars for at least three weeks.
According to AM radio news station KNX 1070, the protest march was led by businessmen Ryan Choura and Trent Bryson near 2nd Street and the Pacific Coast Highway on Wednesday afternoon
The protesters demanded that Long Beach Health Department act independently of the Los Angeles County.
The march started at about 3:30 p.m. and lasted for about an hour.
Long Beach on Tuesday reported a record 1,264 new cases in roughly a week, the highest spike since the start of the pandemic.
In another development, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on Wednesday thatvthe Secure Emergency Relief for Vulnerable Employees (SERVE) initiative, a new partnership between the Mayor’s Office and the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, to provide 4,000 local food-service workers with a one-time $800 stipend. "Employees in our food-service industry have had to make painful sacrifices — and we have to do everything possible to support them through this time of economic upheaval," said Mayor Garcetti. "SERVE is designed to deliver relief and a little peace of mind to some of our most vulnerable workers — giving thousands of
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti Angelenos a vital lifeline, putting money in their pockets to pay the bills, and upholding our promise to get through this unprecedented moment together."
To help ease the financial burden faced by food-service workers, Mayor Garcetti signed into law an ordinance that limits delivery app charges to restaurants — capping delivery fees to 15% and all other non-delivery charges to 5%.
Mayor Garcetti has also pushed for the expansion of his L.A. Al Fresco Program, the City’s initiative to help local restaurants safely reopen for outdoor dining, and launched an $11 million economic relief package for small businesses impacted by COVID-19 last spring. He has also partnered with Ritual and PayPal to launch Open for Business — a collaboration to help restaurants and other small businesses across L.A. move to contactless transactions, implement touchless payments, and increase their online orders. To date, the program has served 704 restaurants through this partnership. "As a restaurant owner, it's a day-to-day struggle to keep morale up when sales are down,” said Kim Prince, owner of Hotville Chicken.
“Since March 2020, our dining rooms have been shuttered and most recently, we had to close our patio due to the outdoor dining restrictions. However, the restaurant industry is resilient and is only as strong as our workers. The SERVE program for restaurant workers will boost morale and help our most vulnerable workers in need."
To qualify for the program, applicants must reside within the City of Los Angeles; be 18 years of age or older; have an annual income in 2019 of $58,450 or below prior to the COVID-19 crisis, which is the threshold for the federal poverty level calculated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and demonstrate economic hardship due to a job loss or at least a 50% reduction in income at a food service establishment as a front or back of house employee.
This includes restaurants, food stands, mobile food units and push carts, and breweries, wineries and bars that serve food on the premises. Recipients with confirmed eligibility will be selected and chosen from a randomized list.
Applications will open on Monday, December 7, at 9:00 AM and will close at midnight on Friday, December 11.
For more information on eligibility, how to apply, and additional COVID-19 support, visit our resources page at Coronavirus.LACity.org/SERVE.
