Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) released the following statement in response to the confirmation hearing testimony of Cecilia Rouse, the Chair-designate for the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), who appeared today before the Senate Banking Committee. If confirmed, Dr. Rouse will become just the fourth woman and the first African-American Chair of the CEA in the 74 years of its existence.

Along with the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, the CEA was created when Congress passed the Employment Act of 1946. The primary purpose of the CEA is to advise the president on economic policy.

“Cecilia Rouse is among a long list of barrier breaking Biden nominees and after listening to her testimony today it is not hard to see why.

“A leading labor economist and a national expert on the economics of education, Dr. Rouse understands that when it comes to the economy, policy must go where the pain is, and there is a lot of pain across the country right now—especially among the millions of Americans who are out of work. She also understands that the pain Americans are in is not being experienced equally—women, people of color, low-wage workers and others are bearing the brunt.

“During one of the worst jobs crises since the Great Depression, I can think of no one better to lead the Council of Economic Advisers. In addition to her previous service as a member of the CEA during the Obama-Biden administration, Dr. Rouse has spent her career studying the reasons why our economy loses jobs, how people can increase their job prospects, and ways we can break through barriers to job growth. I look forward to working with the CEA under Dr. Rouse’s leadership.”