Former NEC director Gene Sperling tapped to implement Biden Covid relief plan

KEY POINTS

• Sperling led the National Economic Council under Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
• He will play a role similar to Biden's when the latter was vice president during the 2009 financial crisis.
• Sperling, according to a senior administration official, will work with the heads of the White House policy councils and key leaders at federal agencies so they can get the bill's mandated funds out as quickly as possible and maximize their impact.

In this May 7, 2013 file photo, National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling speaks in Washington.

Charles Dharapak | AP

Former National Economic Council director Gene Sperling will oversee the implementation of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan, the White House announced Monday.

Sperling, who led the National Economic Council under Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, will play a role similar to Biden's when the latter was vice president during the 2009 financial crisis. Biden at the time was in charge of initiating the the Obama Recovery Act.

Sperling, according to a senior administration official, will work with the heads of the White House policy councils and key leaders at federal agencies so they can get the relief bill's mandated funds out as quickly as possible and maximize their impact.

The official said the administration is going to partner with state and local governments on the effort, similar to how Biden implemented the Recovery Act over a decade ago.

Biden signed the coronavirus relief package on Thursday.

As CNBC reported in February, Sperling was being floated to replace Neera Tanden as the administration's nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget.