Bidens nominee for Feds No. 2 post says combating inflation top task | TheHill – The Hill

Lael Brainard, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and President BidenJoe BidenObama backs Biden push on changing filibuster House to vote on consolidated election bill Thursday, Pelosi says Overnight Defense & National Security — Differences remain between NATO, Russia MORE’s pick for vice chair of the central bank, will testify on Thursday that rising inflation in the U.S. is the “most important task” the Fed faces.

Brainard will tell members of the Senate Banking Committee during her confirmation hearing on Thursday that inflation in the country is “too high,” before laying out the central bank’s goal of bringing prices down. 

“[I]nflation is too high, and working people around the country are concerned about how far their paychecks will go. Our monetary policy is focused on getting inflation back down to 2 percent while sustaining a recovery that includes everyone,” Brainard will say in her opening statement, which was published on Wednesday.

“This is our most important task,” she will add.

Brainard is slated to testify before the Senate committee one day after the Labor Department announced that the consumer price index (CPI), a key gauge of prices in the U.S., rose seven percent in the year ending in December, which is the highest increase recorded since 1982.

In December alone, the CPI increased by 0.5 percent.

The rising prices are placing a burden on Americans nationwide, who are now forced to spend more money on a variety of goods including apparel and vehicles.

Biden nominated Brainard to serve as vice chair of the Fed in November, and renominated Fed Chair Jerome PowellJerome PowellInflation offers steep hike for Biden Equilibrium/Sustainability — Skiers adapt to climate change The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden champions filibuster reform, but doesn’t have the votes MORE to serve another term as chief of the central bank.

Powell testified before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday for a confirmation hearing, a large part of which focused on inflation. He pledged that the central bank will prevent inflation from becoming “entrenched,” and called the high prices a “severe threat” to achieving maximum employment.

Brainard on Wednesday will tell the committee that the economy is currently “making welcome progress, but the pandemic continues to pose challenges.”

“Our priority is to protect the gains we have made and support a full recovery,” she will add.