Gene B. Sperling is the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council. Upon his appointment on January 7, 2011, Mr. Sperling became the first person to serve as NEC Director and principal economic policy advisor for two presidents: first under President Clinton from 1997 to 2001, and now under President Obama.
In the Obama Administration, Sperling has played a key role representing the White House in budget negotiations with Congress as well as in designing several of the President’s economic initiatives including the American Jobs Act, the extension of Transition Adjustment Assistance, the universal dislocated workers program, and the small business tax credit. He also serves as the White House point person on several of the President’s top priorities including manufacturing policy, housing, and economic assistance for veterans.
During his eight years at the White House in the Clinton Administration, Sperling helped negotiate the 1993 and 1997 Deficit Reduction Acts and the increase in the earned-income tax credit and a champion of Saving Social Security First, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Hope Scholarship Tax Credit and the Direct Student Loan program.
Mr. Sperling’s work extends beyond economics. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Mr. Sperling was a guest scholar at the Brookings Institution where he focused on education in poor and conflict-affected nations. He was the founder and Director of the Center for Universal Education at the Council on Foreign Relations and co-authored a book entitled What Works in Girls’ Education: Evidence and Policies from the Developing World.
Mr. Sperling was also Senior Fellow for Economic Policy at the Center for American Progress, where he authored The Pro-Growth Progressive: An Economic Strategy for Shared Prosperity.
Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Sperling served as Counselor at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In that role, Mr. Sperling served as a lead policy advisor on fiscal, budget, tax, job creation and small business issues.
Mr. Sperling graduated from the University of Minnesota and Yale Law School, and attended Wharton Business School. He is a native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents still live.
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Gene Sperling's Posts
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Answering the Call on Cell Phone Unlocking
December 12, 2013 at 6:51 PM ESTToday, with the support of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, the nation’s largest wireless carriers announced they will abide by a new series of voluntary “unlocking principles” to help bring some relief to consumers in the next few months.
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America’s Manufacturing Sector Continues to Show Momentum, With New Data Monday Showing Manufacturing Growing at Fastest Pace Since Early 2011:
December 3, 2013 at 9:49 AM ESTOn Monday, ISM released its monthly purchasing managers’ index (PMI), which rose to 57.3 in November – the fastest monthly pace of growth since April 2011, with all five components of the index showing strength, including employment (a reading above 50 indicates expansion).
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Coming Soon: Gadgets Gate-to-Gate
October 31, 2013 at 9:30 AM ESTAfter nine months of study and review, the Federal Aviation Administration outlined plans to relax some longstanding rules about when airline passengers can use portable electronic devices like tablets, eReaders, and smartphones during various phases of flight – as long as they stay in "airplane mode."
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ConnectED: Delivering the Future of Learning
September 10, 2013 at 5:17 PM ESTDirector of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling discusses transforming education through technology.
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Los beneficios económicos de arreglar nuestro sistema de inmigración que no funciona
July 10, 2013 at 6:41 PM ESTDurante una reunión con el Comité Hispano del Congreso esta mañana, el Presidente emitió un informe de la Casa Blanca que destaca los grandes beneficios económicos de la reforma migratoria integral, así como los costos significativos para nuestro país y para nuestra economía de no tomar acción en este momento tan crítico.
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CBO: La Reforma Migratoria Reducirá el Déficit y Hará Crecer la Economía
June 19, 2013 at 10:18 AM ESTHoy, la Oficina de Presupuestos del Congreso (CBO) dio a conocer su calificación del proyecto de ley bipartidista de inmigración del Senado, que provee aun más evidencia de que la reforma migratoria de sentido común es beneficiosa para el presupuesto y beneficiosa para el crecimiento económico.
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Four Years of Broadband Growth
June 14, 2013 at 12:32 PM ESTToday, the White House released a new report discussing the importance of fast and reliable Internet connected in a modern economy.
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Taking on Patent Trolls to Protect American Innovation
June 4, 2013 at 12:55 PM ESTThe Obama Administration announces steps to fight patent trolls to give innovators a fair fight.
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States Step Up to Help Veterans and Spouses Get Back to Work
April 17, 2013 at 2:14 PM ESTSixty percent of veterans who responded to a 2012 survey said they had trouble translating their military skills into civilian job experience, creating a significant barrier to employment. Find out what states are doing to help ease the transition to civilian life.
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The Economic Case for Commonsense Immigration Reform
March 13, 2013 at 3:36 PM ESTDirector of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling outlines the economic case for a fair, effective and common-sense immigration system that strengthens our economy and the middle class.
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