Capito: Jared Bernstein Should Not Be Confirmed as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today released the following statement on her opposition to President Joe Biden’s nomination of Jared Bernstein to serve as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (CES). The Senate will be considering the nomination today.

“When Americans were starting to reel from the record high inflation under President Biden in 2021, dubbed the ‘Man Behind Bidenomics,’  Mr. Bernstein was very visible in the media attempting to assure Americans that inflation was ‘transitory.’ I think most people understand that ‘transitory’ means ‘temporary.’ 14 months later, inflation continued to rise in June 2022 to 9.1%, the largest increase in 40 years. 2 years later, you’ll find that the U.S. inflation rate is well above the Federal Reserve’s goal. It doesn’t seem temporary to American families.

“Bernstein was a vocal advocate of the president’s reckless tax-and-spend bill, also known as the American Rescue Plan, which helped fuel the high and sustained period of inflation in the U.S. Mr. Bernstein also has not been shy about his support of Green New Deal policies that threaten American energy independence, including very vocal opposition to the Keystone pipeline. His political rhetoric should give pause to Americans who are looking for steady leadership to help shepherd the U.S. out of economically uncertain times. Mr. Bernstein’s record and testimony before the Senate Banking Committee confirms his commitment to these ineffective and reckless economic policies, and should therefore not be confirmed as the next Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers.” 

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