![]() ![]() Like Tanden, whom Biden described as the first 'South Asian American,' rather than Indian American, to head the OMB, there are others who are also firsts. In Obama's administration, she was a senior adviser to the Health and Human Services Department helping craft his affordable healthcare law and programme. Tanden had worked for former Bill Clinton's campaign and became an associate director for domestic policy at the White House and as an adviser to Hillary Clinton. "This team is tested and experienced," he said. Many of them had served in the administrations of Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama like those he has selected for foreign affairs and national security jobs. She will be in charge of laying out my budget that will help us control the virus, deal with the economic crisis, and build back better," he said while introducing her.īiden, who will be president next month, called his picks for the economic jobs a "first-rate team that will get us through the on-going economic crisis and help us build our economy back better than before". "She will be the first woman of colour and first South Asian American to lead the OMB. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/fileĪ measure of the distance Tanden has travelled from the initial shock of poverty is in Biden's description of her as "a brilliant policy mind with critical practical experience across government". To give everybody the fair chance my mother got, and that everyone deserves," she declared. "Now, it's my honour to help shape those budgets and programmes to keep lifting Americans up, to pull families back from the brink. Because of a government that saw my mother's dignity, and gave her a chance," she said and linked her experiences to her future work. "I'm here today because of social programs. She got a job as a travel agent, and before long, she was able to buy us our own home in Bedford, Massachusetts, and see her children off to college, and beyond." Of her mother's struggle, she said, "This country gave her a fair shot to reach for the middle class and she made it work. "We relied on the social safety net to get back on our feet," she said. Tanden spoke candidly of their dependence on public programmes for the poor, food stamps and the government vouchers for free food - and Section 8 vouchers - government rent subsidy. She stayed, and America came through for her when times were tough." She faced a choice - return to India, where at the time divorce was stigmatised and opportunity would be limited - or keep fighting for her American Dream. "My mom was left on her own with two children and without a job. ![]()
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