Quick confirmation for picks urged
Biden says nominees key for economic team
WILMINGTON, Del. — President-elect Joe Biden on Friday introduced the governor of Rhode Island, Boston’s mayor and a small-business advocate from California as the newest members of his economic team.
The formal announcement came a day after his transition team announced Gov. Gina Raimondo as his choice to become commerce secretary, Mayor Marty Walsh as his candidate for labor secretary and Isabel Guzman as his pick to lead the Small Business Administration.
One of Biden’s challenges after he takes office Jan. 20 will be to nurse an economy reeling from the coronavirus pandemic back to health. He said the newest members of his economic team will help achieve that “by building an economy where every American is in on the deal.”
Biden, in introducing his picks, urged the Senate to quickly confirm his Cabinet nominees and other hires who he said will help steer his response to “this dark winter pandemic.”
“We have no time to lose,” said Biden, who also announced he was tapping Don Graves, one of his longtime advisers, to be the deputy commerce secretary.
With the picks, which require Senate confirmation, Biden moved a step closer to rounding out a Cabinet. He has yet to name a candidate for CIA director.
The Biden administration’s stance on international trade probably will mark a shift away from President Donald Trump’s heavy-on-tariffs approach.
Trump slapped tariffs on Chinese steel and other goods to punish Beijing for what the administration said were unfair currency practices and potential national security threats. Those moves were opposed by U.S. allies, including Canada.
Biden opposes Chinese tariffs and has promised to improve U.S. relationships with countries around the hemisphere and globe. But he hasn’t indicated that undoing the tariffs will be a priority.
Instead, Biden has promised to oversee an aggressive “Buy American” campaign.