Washington DC — News reports indicate President Joe Biden is expected to name Jeff Zients as his next chief of staff. Zients gained his reputation as a strong, skilled manager after running the Biden administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and serving in key positions in the Obama administration, including Acting OMB Director and Director of the National Economic Council. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:
“Jeff Zients is an outstanding choice for the next White House chief of staff. Ron Klain is stepping down after helping lead the Biden administration through two years of historic accomplishments, including by delivering the most important health care reform since the Affordable Care Act. Jeff is the right choice to lead the next stage of President Biden’s highly successful presidency. I’ve had the privilege of working with Jeff in both the Obama and Biden administrations and have seen firsthand Jeff’s ability to navigate the most difficult challenges, inspire teams, and deliver for the American people.
“When President Biden took office, Jeff fearlessly led the COVID-19 task force, helping get shots in arms and steering the country through the public health crisis. His work saved hundreds of thousands of lives. In the Obama administration, he led the effort to get the ACA website to fully deliver on the promise of expanding affordable health care for all Americans. He was an integral part of the president’s economic team and brought jobs and growth across the country. We look forward to working with Jeff to make health care better, more affordable, and more equitable, and to stop Republican efforts to gut the ACA, the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicaid, and Medicare.”