By MARY GILBERT
Vice President Biden was formally announced today as chairman of the new White House Task Force on Middle Class Working Families. Biden and President Obama went before TV cameras in the East Room of the White House to introduce the initiative, which was originally announced last month.
"Quite simply, a strong middle class equals a strong America. We can't have one without the other," said Biden, who took several jabs at the previous administration for, in his opinion, neglecting all but the wealthiest Americans. He also took a subtle swipe at former Vice President Cheney's penchant for secrecy, insisting that he will ensure that the operations of the task force are "fully transparent."
The vice president laid out his vision for the initiative in an op-ed piece in this morning's USA Today. The task force will include the secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Commerce and the directors of the National Economic Council, the Office of Management and Budget, the Domestic Policy Council and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors. A new Web site launched today, AStrongMiddleClass.gov, will chronicle the task force's meetings and efforts, as well as allow users to share their stories and ideas with the administration. The group's first meeting will take place in Philadelphia on Feb. 27 and will focus on "green jobs."
Obama also signed three executive orders strengthening workers and unions involved in federal contracts and reversing Bush-era decisions.
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