President Biden has tapped Gene Sperling, a top economic adviser in both the Obama and Clinton administrations, to oversee the implementation of the newly enacted $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, the White House said Monday.
Mr. Sperling was director of the National Economic Council under former Presidents Clinton and Obama.
His name had been floated to be the next director of the White House budget office after Neera Tanden’s nomination for director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) flamed out.
Implementing the massive law is the next major priority for the administration after Mr. Biden signed the package into law last week.
Top members of the administration, including Mr. Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff are hitting the road this week to tout the benefits in the plan.
The direct payments of up to $1,400 per person are already hitting Americans’ bank accounts.
The package also extends a $300-per-week federal boost to unemployment benefits into September and includes about $130 billion for K-12 schools, more than $28 billion for restaurants, and $350 billion for cash-strapped states and localities, among other items.
Republicans said the package is way beyond what the economy needs at this point and that Democrats dressed up longtime party priorities, like about $86 billion for multi-employer pension plans, as COVID-19 relief.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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