Washington: Neera Tanden, a prominent member of the Indian-American Democratic Party, was chosen by President Joe Biden to be his domestic policy adviser, making her the first Asian-American to ever chair one of the most important White House advisory councils.
In a statement, Biden said, “I am pleased to announce that Neera Tanden will continue to drive the formulation and implementation of my domestic policy, from economic mobility and racial equity to health care, immigration and education.”
Tanden, who has served as Biden’s staff secretary in this term, will replace Susan Rice, a former American national security advisor and ambassador to the United Nations who worked as Biden’s top domestic policy advisor since his presidency began.
Tanden had supervised decision-making procedures across domestic, economic, and national security teams, according to Biden, who said that Tanden served as his staff secretary, processing any material that came to the president's desk.
“She has 25 years of experience in public policy, has served three Presidents, and led one of the largest think tanks in the country for nearly a decade. She was a key architect of the Affordable Care Act and helped drive key domestic policies that became part of my agenda, including clean energy subsidies and sensible gun reform,” Biden said in his statement.
Biden said Tanden's perspectives will be beneficial to his administration and the American people because Tanden had relied on some of the same initiatives she will now manage as a child.
Tanden was born in Massachusetts to Indian immigrant parents, and studied at the University of California Los Angeles and Yale University. Her appointment is particularly significant as America heads towards elections in 2024, where domestic policy will be a key area of focus and contestation.