Biden nominates a Native American woman to be U.S. treasurer

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden will nominate Lifetime Chief Marilynn Malerba as U.S. treasurer, making her the first Native American to hold the position, the White House announced Tuesday.

Malerba is the first woman to be elected as chief of the Mohegan Tribe, a lifetime selection by the Tribe's Council of Elders. She serves on the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee and advises the U.S. treasury secretary. Prior to becoming chief in 2010, Malerba was a registered nurse and the executive director of tribal Health and Human Services.

Her appointment does not need confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

The treasurer oversees the U.S. Mint, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Fort Knox, and is a key liaison with the Federal Reserve.

In announcing Malerba's appointment, the Treasury Department also said it would create a Tribal and Native Affairs office, which Malerba would lead. It would coordinate tribal relations across the department, a press release by the U.S. Department of Treasury said.

Yellen, who on Tuesday will be the first treasury secretary to visit a tribal nation, Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, praised Malerba's nomination, calling it a "historic appointment."

"For the first time in history, a Tribal leader and Native woman's name will be the signature on our currency," Yellen said in the Treasury press release, adding, "her leadership and experience will deepen our commitment to help expand economic opportunities for all Tribal communities."

Malerba will accompany Yellen on the trip, which will focus on the impact of the American Rescue Plan on tribal communities.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden taps Native American Marilynn Malerba as U.S. treasurer nominee

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