Yellen sworn in as first female Treasury secretary

Janet Yellen was sworn in as Treasury secretary in a brief ceremony on Tuesday, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

Vice President Harris administered the oath of office to Yellen on a landing outside the White House that overlooks the Treasury Department’s headquarters. Yellen’s husband, Nobel Prize-winning economist George Akerlof, and their son, Robert Akerlof, who is also an economist, were in attendance. 

“Secretary Yellen is a trailblazer, whose deep commitment to working families will be essential as we confront the urgent economic challenges facing the American people,” Harris tweeted after the ceremony, along with a video of the event.

Yellen takes the reins of Treasury after the Senate confirmed her nomination Monday evening by a vote of 84-15. She has previously served as chair of the Federal Reserve and as chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

A key priority for Yellen will be addressing the coronavirus-related economic downturn. During her confirmation hearing last week, Yellen urged lawmakers to “act big” on coronavirus relief, arguing that the benefits of a large relief package will outweigh the costs in the long run.