At Yale, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen markets Biden's economic agenda

Connecticut Public Radio | By Eddy Martinez

Published April 3, 2023 at 5:41 PM EDT

Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen speaks at the Yale School of Management promoting President Joe Biden’s economic polices and the work of Yale’s Tobin Center for Economic Policy. “It may be that some of the best investments are in areas that are underserved and directed at people who have been excluded and not had access to adequate investment, whether it’s in infrastructure or physical capital,” Yellen said. — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks at the Yale School of Management, promoting President Joe Biden’s economic policies and the work of Yale’s Tobin Center for Economic Policy. “It may be that some of the best investments are in areas that are underserved and directed at people who have been excluded and not had access to adequate investment, whether it’s in infrastructure or physical capital,” Yellen said.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited Connecticut Monday to discuss the economic agenda of President Joe Biden.

During a fireside chat at Yale University, Yellen said Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda is expanding economic opportunity and boosting the nation’s productive capacity without increasing inequality.

Yellen spoke about ways the administration would like to grow the economy without hurting workers.

Previous economic growth drove up income inequality, which Yellen said she wants to avoid. She said it was made plain during the pandemic.

“We read about the pandemic — about families in remote areas without internet putting their kids in cars and driving to a McDonald’s lot where they can get internet access,” Yellen said. “You can’t even do your homework if you don't have internet access.”

Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen (right) speaks with Yale President Peter Salovey (left) at the Yale School of Management promoting President Joe Biden’s economic polices and the work of Yale’s Tobin Center for Economic Policy. “It may be that some of the best investments are in areas that are underserved and directed at people who have been excluded and not had access to adequate investment, whether it’s in infrastructure or physical capital,” Yellen said. — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (right) speaks with Yale President Peter Salovey at the Yale School of Management to promote President Joe Biden’s economic policies and the work of Yale’s Tobin Center for Economic Policy.

How does a country grow its economy while ensuring everyone has a seat at the table? Yellen said it boils down to an economic framework called modern supply side economics.

“It wants to find strategies that will promote growth, while mitigating inequality and also addressing environmental damage and harms that can affect the well-being of future generations,” she said.

The visit came as Biden toured a clean energy technology manufacturer in suburban Minneapolis as part of his effort to highlight his investment agenda ahead of an expected reelection campaign.

The president regularly highlights the CHIPS Act, the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, the $1 trillion infrastructure legislation and a roughly $375 billion climate bill — major legislation that his administration steered into law before Democrats lost control of the House to Republicans.

In addition to Yellen, other members of Biden's administration are traveling to more than 20 states this week to buttress his economic message. This week first lady Jill Biden also visits Colorado, Michigan, Maine and Vermont to discuss investments in education.

Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen reads her notes notes during a talk with Yale President Peter Salovey at the Yale School of Management where she promoted President Joe Biden’s economic polices and the work of Yale’s Tobin Center for Economic Policy. — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reads her notes during a talk with Yale President Peter Salovey at the Yale School of Management, where she promoted President Joe Biden’s economic policies and the work of Yale’s Tobin Center for Economic Policy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.