Biden appoints first Native American to serve as treasurer

Washington, U.S. | Xinhua | U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced the appointment of Marilynn Malerba, chief of the Mohegan Tribe, to serve as treasurer of the United States, the first Native American to hold the position.

The treasurer of the United States directly oversees the U.S. Mint, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and is a key liaison with the Federal Reserve, according to a White House statement.

Malerba will also serve as a senior advisor to the secretary of the treasury in the areas of community development and public engagement, the statement said.

Malerba became the 18th chief of the Mohegan Tribe in 2010 and is the first woman to serve in this position in the tribe’s modern history. She previously served as a member of the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee, according to the Treasury Department.

Malerba’s appointment as treasurer of the United States will also mean that “for the first time in U.S. history, a tribal leader and Native woman’s signature will soon be seen on the nation’s currency,” the department noted.

Calling it “an historic appointment,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Malerba’s leadership and experience “will deepen our commitment to help expand economic opportunities for all tribal communities.”

“I am honored and humbled by Secretary Yellen and the Biden administration’s commitment to ensuring that all voices are heard by Treasury as we work together to create an equitable and just society,” said Malerba.

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Xinhua