Indian-American Neera Tanden appointed White House senior adviser

PTI, May 15, 2021, 9:26 AM IST

Credit: Reuters photo

Washington: Indian-American Neera Tanden has been appointed senior adviser to US President Joe Biden, two months after she withdrew her nomination as Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget due to stiff opposition from Republican senators.

Tanden (50) is slated to join the White House on Monday.

She has been entrusted with two tasks – launch a review of the US Digital Service, and plan contingencies that could result from the Supreme Court’s consideration of Republican lawsuits seeking to strike down the Affordable Care Act.

Tanden is currently the president and CEO of a progressive think-tank, Center for American Progress (CAP).

“Neera’s intellect, tenacity, and political savvy will be an asset to the Biden administration,” CAP founder and director John Podesta said.

He said the White House has made remarkable progress combating numerous once-in-a-generation challenges — from vaccinating millions of Americans to delivering real economic relief from the coronavirus pandemic, and from strengthening the Affordable Care Act to tackling climate change.

“Many of these bold policy solutions, which have bipartisan support from voters across the country, were developed and led by Neera at CAP over many years. The administration’s efforts will be magnified with Neera Tanden on the team,” Podesta added.

Tanden previously served as a senior adviser for health reforms at the US Department of Health and Human Services. She worked with Congress and stakeholders on particular provisions of former President Barack Obama’s signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act.

Before that, Tanden was the director of domestic policy for the Obama-Biden presidential campaign, where she managed all domestic policy proposals.

Tanden also served as policy director for Hillary Clinton’s first presidential campaign.

Before the 2008 presidential campaign, Tanden served as legislative director in Clinton’s office, and deputy campaign manager and issues director for Clinton’s 2000 Senate campaign.

She began her career as an associate director for domestic policy in former President Bill Clinton’s White House, and senior policy adviser to the First Lady.

Tanden holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a law degree from the Yale Law School.