InfoBytes Blog
Biden nominates Powell and Brainard
On November 22, President Biden selected Jerome Powell to serve a second term as Chair of the Federal Reserve Board and nominated Fed Governor Lael Brainard to serve as Vice Chair of the Board of Governors, replacing current Vice Chair Richard Clarida. The White House highlighted Powell’s “steady leadership during an unprecedently challenging period, including the biggest economic downturn in modern history and attacks on the independence of the Federal Reserve,” and applauded Powell and Brainard’s shared “focus on ensuring that economic growth broadly benefits all workers.” The White House noted that both nominees are advancing key Biden administration priorities, including addressing climate-related financial risks and staying ahead of emerging risks to the country’s financial system. Powell issued a statement on his nomination, thanking President Biden for the opportunity to continue to serve as Chair and highlighting several key priorities, including “vigilantly guarding the resilience and stability of the financial system, addressing evolving risks from climate change and cyber attacks, and facilitating the modernization of the payments system while protecting consumers.” Brainard also released a statement affirming her commitment to serving all Americans and ensuring the Fed reflects the diversity of the communities it serves. President Biden still needs to fill three open seats on the Board, including the position of Vice Chair for Supervision. The White House stated that President Biden intends to announce the additional nominations in early December.