Editing Gene Sperling

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Short description|American economist (born 1958)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Gene Sperling
| image               = Gene Sperling (National Economic Council) (cropped).jpg
| office              = Coordinator in the [[White House]] for the [[American Rescue Plan Act of 2021|American Rescue Plan]]
| president           = [[Joe Biden]]
| term_start          = March 15, 2021
| term_end            = August 2024
| predecessor         = ''Office established''
| successor           = ''Office abolished''
| office1             = [[Senior Advisor to the President of the United States|Senior Advisor to the President]] for the [[American Rescue Plan Act of 2021|American Rescue Plan]]
| president1          = [[Joe Biden]]
| alongside1          = 
| term_start1         = March 15, 2021
| term_end1           = August 2024
| office2             = 3rd and 9th Director of the [[National Economic Council (United States)|National Economic Council]]
| president2          = [[Barack Obama]]
| term_start2         = January 20, 2011
| term_end2           = March 5, 2014
| predecessor2        = [[Lawrence Summers|Larry Summers]]
| successor2          = [[Jeff Zients]]
| president3          = [[Bill Clinton]]
| term_start3         = December 12, 1996
| term_end3           = January 20, 2001
| predecessor3        = [[Laura Tyson]]
| successor3          = [[Lawrence B. Lindsey|Larry Lindsey]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1958|12|24}}
| birth_place         = [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| spouse              = Allison Abner
| children            = 2
| education           = [[University of Minnesota]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br />[[Yale University]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])<br />[[University of Pennsylvania]]
| predecessor1        = ''Office established''
}}

'''Eugene Benton Sperling''' (born December 24, 1958) is an American lawyer who was director of the [[National Economic Council (United States)|National Economic Council]] and assistant to the president for economic policy under Presidents [[Bill Clinton]] and [[Barack Obama]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/07/AR2011010701653.html |title=Obama names Sperling to head National Economic Council |first1=Lori |last1=Montgomery |first2=Brady |last2=Dennis |date=January 7, 2011 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |quote=Sperling is not an economist by training, he is valued as a savvy political strategist with proven ability to extract victories on fiscal issues from a hostile Congress. }}</ref> He is the only person to serve as national economic advisor under two presidents.<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 17, 2011|title=Gene Sperling|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/author/gene-sperling|access-date=November 15, 2020|via=[[National Archives and Records Administration|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|language=en}}</ref>  Outside of government, he founded the [[Center for Universal Education]] at the [[Brookings Institution]] in 2002.<ref>{{Citation|title=Center for Universal Education|date=July 16, 2020|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Center_for_Universal_Education&oldid=967970075|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=November 15, 2020}}</ref>

In February 2021, as the nomination of [[Neera Tanden]] for OMB director faced opposition, Sperling was considered to be one of the leading contenders to assume the top position.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kuttner|first=Robert|date=February 19, 2021|title=Tanden on the Ropes as OMB Director|url=https://prospect.org/api/content/76fa7b48-730b-11eb-886e-1244d5f7c7c6/|access-date=February 23, 2021|website=The American Prospect|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Pager|first=Tyler|title=The jockeying to replace Neera Tanden has begun|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/20/neera-tanden-omb-replacement-470424|access-date=February 23, 2021|website=POLITICO|date=February 20, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Sperling served as Senior Advisor to President Biden and Implementation Coordinator of the American Rescue Plan. On August 5, 2024, the White House announced that Sperling was leaving the administration to work with the Vice President's election campaign.

== Early life and education ==
Sperling was born in [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]],<ref name=JVL>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title=Gene Sperling   |website=[[Jewish Virtual Library]]|date= |url= http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Gene_Sperling.html |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> the son of Doris Louise (née Hyman) and Lawrence Sperling.<ref>{{Cite news|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title=Doris Louise Sperling (1931-2020) |newspaper=[[The Ann Arbor News]]|date=May 16, 2020 |url= https://obits.mlive.com/us/obituaries/annarbor/name/doris-sperling-obituary?id=8496941 |via=| archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> He is of Jewish descent.<ref>{{Cite news|first= Nathan |last= Guttman|authorlink=   |title=  Meet the Four Jews Shaping the U.S. Economy |newspaper=[[The Forward|The Jewish Daily Forward]]|date= February 28, 2013|url= http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/172080/meet-the-four-jews-shaping-the-us-economy/ |via=Wayback Machine| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004234005/http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/172080/meet-the-four-jews-shaping-the-us-economy/| archive-date=October 4, 2013}}</ref><ref name=JVL/> He attended [[Pioneer High School (Ann Arbor, Michigan)|Pioneer High School]] and then [[Community High School (Ann Arbor, Michigan)|Community High School]] from which he graduated. In 1982, he graduated with a B.A. in political science from the [[University of Minnesota]] where he was captain of the Men's Varsity Tennis Team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-tennis/spec-rel/minn-m-tennis-team-captains.html|title=Men's Tennis, Team Captains|accessdate=June 3, 2023|archive-date=September 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920163343/http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-tennis/spec-rel/minn-m-tennis-team-captains.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1985 he graduated with a juris doctor from [[Yale Law School]] where he served as a senior editor of the Yale Law Journal.<ref>{{Cite journal |journal=The Yale Law Journal |volume=94 |number=3 |date=January 1985 |title=Masthead |url=https://www.yalelawjournal.org/masthead/volume-94 |access-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref> While at Yale Law School, he worked for future Labor Secretary [[Robert Reich]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Goldfarb|first=Zachary A.|date=February 4, 2012|title=Gene B. Sperling: Obama's jobs creator|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/gene-b-sperling-obamas-jobs-creator/2012/01/17/gIQAJ8KXqQ_story.html|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> He also attended the [[Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 17, 2011|title=Gene Sperling|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/author/gene-sperling|access-date=January 3, 2023|website=Obama White House}}</ref> and worked as an economic adviser on [[Michael Dukakis]]' campaign.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Hilzenrath|first1=David S.|last2=Mufson|first2=Steven|date=May 9, 1993|title=Keeper of the Flame|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1993/05/09/keeper-of-the-flame/a3990819-a131-471f-84a6-30c4bfedb723/|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

Prior to joining the [[National Economic Council (United States)|National Economic Council]], Sperling served as deputy director of economic policy for the presidential transition and economic policy director of the Clinton-Gore presidential campaign. From 1990 to 1992, he was an economic advisor to Governor [[Mario Cuomo]] of New York.<ref name="clinton4.nara">National Economic Council, [http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/EOP/nec/html/sperling.html Profile of Gene Sperling] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108042641/https://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/EOP/nec/html/sperling.html |date=January 8, 2017 }}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Clinton administration ===
Sperling served as deputy director (from 1993 to 1996) and then director (from 1996 to 2001) of the National Economic Council during the Clinton administration. As deputy director from 1993 to 1996, Sperling helped design and pass several of President Clinton's early initiatives, including [[Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993|1993 Deficit Reduction Act]],<ref name="clinton4.nara"/> the major expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit,<ref name="huffpo.sperling.leaves">{{Cite news |title=Gene Sperling, Obama Economic Aide, Leaves White House |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gene-sperling_n_4887901 |first1=Steve |last1=Holland |first2=Mark |last2=Felsenthal |website=HuffPost |agency=Reuters |date=March 3, 2014 |access-date=July 11, 2012}}</ref> and the Direct Student Loan Act.<ref name="worldbank.sperling">World Bank, [http://live.worldbank.org/experts/gene-b-sperling Profile of Gene Sperling]</ref>

As director from 1996 to 2001, Sperling was a principal negotiator of the [[Balanced Budget Act of 1997|1997 bipartisan Balanced Budget Act]], which included the creation of the Children's Health Insurance Program.  He reportedly held up the final negotiation to ensure that the design of the child tax credit would lead to bigger payments for lower-income families on the Earned Income Tax Credit.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Calmes|first=Jackie|date=January 21, 2011|title=In Sperling, a Political Strategist Known for Getting It Done (Published 2011)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/business/economy/21sperling.html|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Matt Miller on Assistant to the President and NEC Director Gene Sperling|url=https://www.bradford-delong.com/2011/01/matt-miller-on-assistant-to-the-president-and-nec-director-gene-sperling.html|website=Grasping Reality by Brad DeLong}}</ref> He also played a leading role in the design and passage of other Clinton administration economic initiatives, including the Hope Scholarship Tax Credit, the New Markets Tax Credit, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Gear-UP Early College Mentoring program, expanded debt relief to poor nations, and stronger international protections against abusive child labor.<ref name="clinton4.nara" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Remarks by Mr. Juan Somavia, Director-General, International Labour Organization: Advancing the Global campaign against child labour |url=https://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/dgo/speeches/somavia/2000/washing.htm |website=International Labour Organization |date=May 17, 2000 |access-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=May 17, 2000|title=Advancing the Global Campaign Against Child Labor: Progress Made and Future Actions|url=https://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1172&context=globaldocs}}</ref> He was the architect of the Save Social Security First budget strategy, and co-negotiated the final week of the China WTO agreement in Beijing in 1999 with United States Trade Representative [[Charlene Barshefsky]]. Sperling worked with then-Treasury Secretary [[Lawrence Summers]] to negotiate protections for the Community Reinvestment Act in the Financial Modernization Act of 1999, also known as the [[Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act]]. These protections helped secure passage of the bill.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Michael|last=Schroeder|title=Glass-Steagall Accord Reached After Last-Minute Deal Making|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB940579557354158168|access-date=January 3, 2023|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=October 25, 1999|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Sperling represented the U.S. government and gave a keynote address at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal in 2000, where the world committed to the second millennium development goal of universal primary education.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=July 13, 2008|title=Gene B. Sperling|url=https://www.cfr.org/content/bios/Sperling_bio_Sep08.pdf|website=Council on Foreign Relations}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=World Education Forum, Dakar, Senegal, 26-28 April 2000: final report|url=https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000121117|website=unesdoc.unesco.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Remarks of the Honorable Gene B. Sperling|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|url=https://clintonwhitehouse4.archives.gov/WH/EOP/nec/html/KvaalrDakarSpeech.html}}</ref>

=== Post-Clinton administration ===
After leaving the Clinton Administration, Sperling focused on promoting universal education, particularly for girls in poor and developing nations.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 5, 2006|title=Back to School ~ Interview: Gene Sperling {{!}} Wide Angle {{!}} PBS|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/interactives-extras/interviews/back-to-school-interview-gene-sperling/269/|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=Wide Angle}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> In 2002, he founded the [[Center for Universal Education]] at the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] and the [[Brookings Institution]] and served as its first executive director for seven years from 2002 to 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cfr.org/thinktank/cue/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114004505/http://www.cfr.org/thinktank/cue/|url-status=dead|title=Council on Foreign Relations|archive-date=November 14, 2012|access-date=June 3, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Economic Dignity {{!}} Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy|url=https://fordschool.umich.edu/events/2019/economic-dignity?theme=cflp|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=fordschool.umich.edu}}</ref> In that role, Sperling advocated for a global compact for education for all children, with publications on universal education for all nations in ''Foreign Affairs'', ''The New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, and IMF Quarterly: Finance and Development.''<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Sperling|first1=Gene|last2=Hart|first2=Tom|date=January 28, 2009|title=A Better Way to Fight Global Poverty: Broadening the Millennium Challenge Account|journal=Foreign Affairs: America and the World|language=en-US|url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2003-03-01/better-way-fight-global-poverty-broadening-millennium-challenge-account|access-date=November 15, 2020|issn=0015-7120}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=June 25, 2002|title=U.S. Should Lead the Class in Global Education
|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-25-oe-sperl25-story.html|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Finance and Development|url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2005/06/sperling.htm|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=Finance and Development {{!}} F&D|language=en-US}}</ref> He also authored concept papers for the Education for All Fast Track Initiative on ''Closing the Trust Gaps: Unlocking Financing for Education in Fragile State'' and ''How to Unlock Financing for Fragile States and Move Toward a More Unified Global Architecture for Education Financing: Eight Preliminary Recommendations''.<ref>[https://inee.org/sites/default/files/Evaluation_FTI.pdf Working Paper 6 FTI and Fragile States and Fragile Partnerships] inee.org</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Francine Menashy |first1=Sarah Dryden-Peterson |title=The Global Partnership for Education's evolving support to fragile and conflict-affected states |journal=International Journal of Educational Development |year=2015 |volume=44 |pages=82–94 |doi=10.1016/j.ijedudev.2015.07.001|s2cid=155005305 |url=http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:25378642 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Sperling was a member of U.N. Millennium Task Force on Girls' Education.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gene B. Sperling - Research|url=https://www.brookings.edu/author/gene-b-sperling?type=research&paged=1|website=Brookings}}</ref>

In 2003, Sperling also founded the Global Campaign for Education-US, a broad-based coalition of national and community-based organizations, international NGOs, teacher unions, faith-based groups, and think tanks dedicated to ensuring universal quality education for all children.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Global Campaign for Education-US|url=https://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/stakeholder/global-campaign-education-us|website=International Disability Alliance}}</ref>  The organization's mission is "to promote education as a basic human right and mobilize to create political will in the United States and internationally to ensure universal quality education."<ref name=":1" />

In 2004, he co-authored the book ''What Works in Girls' Education: Evidence and Policies from the Developing World'' with Barbara Herz.<ref>Council on Foreign Relations, [http://www.cfr.org/education/works-girls-education/p6947 What Works in Girls' Education] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201032231/http://www.cfr.org/education/works-girls-education/p6947 |date=December 1, 2014 }}</ref> In addition, Sperling was also a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and authored ''The Pro-Growth Progressive: An Economic Strategy for Shared Prosperity'' in that role.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Pro-Growth-Progressive/Gene-Sperling/9781476754819|title=The Pro-Growth Progressive: About the book|website=Simon and Schuster|date=June 29, 2013 |isbn=978-1-4767-5481-9 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |last1=Sperling |first1=Gene |publisher=Simon & Schuster }}</ref> For four years, he was a consultant and had partial writing credit for four episodes for the television series ''[[The West Wing]]''.<ref>Politico, [http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/03/sperling-on-west-wing-pretty-realistic-but-dont-walk-159225.html Sperling on 'West Wing': 'Pretty realistic,' but don't walk as fast], March 13, 2013.</ref> Sperling is the author of the 2020 book ''Economic Dignity,''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gene Sperling |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2203499/gene-sperling|access-date=January 3, 2023|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com}}</ref> building on a 2019 piece he published in Democracy Journal.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Sperling|first=Gene|date=Spring 2019|title=Economic Dignity|url=https://democracyjournal.org/magazine/52/economic-dignity/|journal=Democracy}}</ref>

Sperling was a top economic adviser for [[Hillary Clinton]] during her [[Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign|2008 presidential campaign]].<ref>[http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/01/31/econ_adviser_sperling_q/ A look at the Clinton economic plan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080718124724/http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/01/31/econ_adviser_sperling_q/ |date=July 18, 2008 }}, Kai Ryssdal interviews Gene Sperling, ''Marketplace'', January 31, 2008</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Leonhardt|first=David|date=April 18, 2007|title=The Advisers Are Writing Our Future |work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/18/business/18leonhardt.html|access-date=January 3, 2023|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Prior to joining the Obama administration, Sperling earned $887,727 from [[Goldman Sachs]] in 2008 for his work helping to create and implement their 10,000 Women charitable initiative, which funds business education for women in developing nations. He was also compensated $158,000 for speeches, mostly to financial companies. Sperling received $2.2 million in total compensation in 2008 from a variety of consulting jobs, board seats, speaking fees and fellowships.<ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=abo3Zo0ifzJg |title=Geithner Aides Reaped Millions Working for Banks, Hedge Funds  |last1=Schmidt |first1=Robert |date=October 14, 2009 |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]] |access-date=August 8, 2013}}</ref>

=== Obama administration ===

From 2009 to 2011, Sperling served as a counselor to Treasury Secretary [[Timothy Geithner]]. He advised on responding to the financial crisis, was a member of the [[Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry|Obama Auto Rescue Task Force]], was Geithner's top aide on fiscal, budget, tax, and small business issues, and coordinated the Treasury efforts on design and passage of the Affordable Care Act.<ref>{{cite book | last = Geithner | first = Timothy | author-link = Timothy Geithner | title = Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises | publisher = [[Crown Publishing Group]], [[Random House]] | date = 2014 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=rrTwAgAAQBAJ | isbn = 9780804138598}}</ref> Sperling was a leading advocate in the administration for increasing refundable tax credits for working families, extending unemployment benefits, adding restrictions on executive compensation for companies receiving public funds, and proposing a fee on major financial institutions.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Corn|first=David|title=Is Larry Summers' Potential Successor Really a Wall Street Ally?|url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/gene-sperling-wall-street/|access-date=November 25, 2020|website=Mother Jones|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Ioffe">{{Cite magazine|last=Ioffe|first=Julia|date=March 27, 2013|title=The All-Night King of the Capital|magazine=The New Republic|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/112739/gene-sperlings-all-nighters-inside-nec-chairs-power-politics|access-date=November 25, 2020|issn=0028-6583}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Scheiber|first=Noam|date=December 30, 2010|title=Is the Favorite to Replace Larry Summers Too Close To Wall Street?|magazine=The New Republic|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/80620/the-favorite-replace-larry-summers-too-close-wall-street|access-date=November 25, 2020|issn=0028-6583}}</ref> Sperling was reported to have been one of the key members of the administration to advocate to President Obama that he save Chrysler.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Alter|first=Jonathan|title=The Promise|pages=177}}</ref> Sperling is credited with designing the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, which created a $30 billion fund for loans and the State Small Business Credit Initiative.<ref name="Ioffe"/><ref>{{Cite news|last=Calmes|first=Jackie|date=September 13, 2013|title=Ex-White House Aide to Be Economic Adviser (Published 2013)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/us/politics/ex-white-house-aide-to-be-economic-adviser.html|access-date=November 25, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Calmes|first=Jackie|date=January 21, 2011|title=In Sperling, a Political Strategist Known for Getting It Done (Published 2011)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/business/economy/21sperling.html|access-date=November 25, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In January 2011, President [[Barack Obama]] appointed Sperling as the director of the [[National Economic Council (United States)|National Economic Council]], Sperling's second tenure in that position. 
In that role, Sperling played a key role representing the White House in budget negotiations with Congress as well as serving as the White House point person on several of the president's top priorities including job creation, manufacturing policy, housing, GSE reform, and skills initiatives. He was credited with being the key architect of the $447 billion American Jobs Act<ref>{{Cite news|last=Goldfarb|first=Zachary A.|date=February 4, 2012|title=Gene B. Sperling: Obama's jobs creator |newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/gene-b-sperling-obamas-jobs-creator/2012/01/17/gIQAJ8KXqQ_story.html|access-date=January 3, 2023|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> and he led the Obama Administration's Detroit rescue task force in 2013, which mobilized $300 million to support Detroit.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Calmes|first=Jackie|date=September 27, 2013|title=$300 Million in Detroit Aid, but No Bailout (Published 2013)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/us/300-million-in-detroit-aid-but-no-bailout.html|access-date=November 25, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Sperling also led the design and implementation of the president's initiatives on supporting workers facing long-term unemployment,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Calmes|first=Jackie|date=December 17, 2013|title=One White House Shift Is Delayed for a Month (Published 2013)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/17/us/politics/one-white-house-shift-is-delayed-for-a-month.html|access-date=November 25, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Manufacturing Innovation Hubs,<ref>{{Cite news|date=March 18, 2014|title=Obama manufacturing hubs face uphill struggle to create jobs |work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-obama-manufacturing-idUSBREA2H06L20140318|first1=Julia|last1=Edwards|first2=Jason|last2=Lange|access-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref> SelectUSA,<ref>{{Cite news|last=House|first=Jonathan|title=U.S. to Redouble Efforts to Attract Foreign Direct Investment|url=http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2013/10/31/u-s-to-redouble-efforts-to-attract-foreign-direct-investment/|access-date=January 3, 2023|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=October 31, 2013 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> the College Opportunity Summit,<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 16, 2014|title=White House Highlights How Groups Have Pledged to Improve Access|url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/white-house-highlights-how-groups-have-pledged-to-improve-access/|first=Kelly |last=Field|access-date=July 11, 2023|website=The Chronicle of Higher Education}}</ref> and the ConnectED initiative.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 10, 2013|title=ConnectED: Delivering the Future of Learning|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2013/09/10/connected-delivering-future-learning|first=Gene|last=Sperling|access-date=July 11, 2023|website=Obama White House}}</ref> According to Robert Greenstein, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "If you look at key budget legislation – in 1993, 1997, 2009, 2010 or 2012 – there is no administration official who did more over the past 20 years to dramatically expand tax credits for low-income workers, with the result that these credits now lift 10 million people out of poverty."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Allen|first=Mike|title=GENE SPERLING LEAVES WHITE HOUSE after 13 yrs. -- BARBARA BUSH RIBS MAUREEN DOWD -- NEW DNC pol. dir. -- GEORGE P. BUSH wins TX primary -- NEW GIG for Jonathan Collegio|url=https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/playbook/2014/03/gene-sperling-leaves-white-house-after-13-yrs-barbara-bush-ribs-maureen-dowd-new-dnc-pol-dir-george-p-bush-wins-tx-primary-new-gig-for-jonathan-collegio-212543|access-date=November 25, 2020|website=POLITICO|date=March 5, 2014 |language=en}}</ref>

Sperling was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Finance worldwide in 2013 by Worth Magazine.<ref>Worth,[http://www.worth.com/index.php/component/power/?view=all The Power 100: The 100 Most Powerful People in Finance] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113174130/http://www.worth.com/index.php/component/power/?view=all |date=November 13, 2014 }}.</ref> He was named one of the 50 Most Powerful People in Washington by GQ in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 17, 2012|title=The 50 Most Powerful People in Washington|url=https://www.gq.com/gallery/50-most-powerful-people-in-washington-dc#slide=16|first1=Reid |last1=Cherlin|first2=Rob |last2=Fischer|first3=Jason |last3=Zengerle|first4=Jason |last4=Horowitz|access-date=July 11, 2023|website=GQ}}</ref>

Sperling left the National Economic Council in March 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|last=McCalmont|first=Lucy|title=Gene Sperling: Last day is March 5|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/gene-sperling-last-day-103665|access-date=January 3, 2023|website=POLITICO|date=February 19, 2014}}</ref>

Two years after Sperling left the White House, a ''[[ProPublica]]'' article reported that he had taken loans totaling between $300,000 and $600,000 from Howard Shapiro, a lawyer at [[Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr]], between 2011 and 2013.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Eisinger|first=Jesse|title=While in the White House, Economist Received Personal Loans From Top Washington Lawyer|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/white-house-economist-received-personal-loans-top-washington-lawyer?token=yIzUwxhFBlPUbcgl8aMwDk7gQ6AdqbgA|access-date=November 30, 2020|website=ProPublica|date=August 10, 2016 |language=en}}</ref> Shapiro has been Sperling's closest friend since they were housemates at Yale Law School in 1983.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sperling|first=Gene|title=Economic Dignity|publisher=Penguin Publishing Group|year=2020|isbn=9781984879882|location=Chicago|pages=304}}</ref> Sperling stated that when his savings were depleted, he "took personal loans from my very closest friend of more than 30 years so that I could afford to remain in public service without having to sell our house when we had only two more years left with both of our children at home."<ref name=":2" /> His house in Washington, D.C. was valued at "around $2 million."<ref name=":2" />

A White House spokesperson said that every loan had been "reviewed and cleared by [[White House Counsel]] and the [[United States Office of Government Ethics|Office of Government Ethics]]" and that "no issue came before Sperling that prompted him to recuse himself."<ref name=":2" /> Kenneth Gross, a partner at [[Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom]] who specializes in federal gift and gratuity rules, stated that the fact that the loans were disclosed and cleared by the ethics office "takes the guy off the hook. What more is he supposed to do?"<ref name=":2" />

The ''ProPublica'' article stated that Sperling "played a role" in a federal and state government settlement with five major financial institutions over foreclosure and mortgage servicing abuses, and that WilmerHale was "one of many law firms involved in negotiating the settlement," though it did not state that Shapiro was involved in the settlement.<ref name=":2" /> Sperling told ProPublica he was not involved in the negotiations and only "helped decide that settlement money would go toward reducing principal on mortgages for borrowers whose homes were worth less than their mortgages."<ref name=":2" /> The ''[[Financial Times]]'' reported that Sperling met with groups such as the [[NAACP|National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]] (NAACP) to persuade them of the benefits the deal would have for borrowers.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Nasiripour|first=Shahien|date=February 7, 2012|title=White House courts support for mortgage pact|url=https://www.ft.com/content/3e4e49d0-51de-11e1-a30c-00144feabdc0|website=Financial Times}}</ref>

=== Biden administration ===
On March 15, 2021, President Joe Biden announced that Sperling was selected to oversee the roll-out of the newly signed $1.9 trillion [[American Rescue Plan Act of 2021]].<ref>{{Cite web|author=Phil Mattingly and Jeremy Diamond|title=Biden to announce Gene Sperling will oversee rollout of $1.9 trillion in Covid relief|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/15/politics/joe-biden-american-rescue-plan-gene-sperling/index.html|access-date=March 15, 2021|website=CNN|date=March 15, 2021 }}</ref> He resigned in August 2024 in order to assume a position as a senior economic advisor on the [[Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-campaign-sperling-gene-pandemic-07a9c4667c02dc9fba3ae09e08401549 |title=Senior economics aide Gene Sperling is leaving the White House to work on the Harris campaign |first1=Josh |last1=Boak |date=2024-08-05 |website=AP News |access-date=2024-09-02}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Sperling is married to television writer Allison Abner, whom he met when he was a consultant on NBC's ''[[The West Wing]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Kate |last=Bennett |authorlink=   |title= Washington power couple goes Hollywood  |newspaper=[[Politico]]|date=October 8, 2015 |url= https://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/kgb-abner-sperling-go-west-coast-214522 | archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> They have a daughter, Nina, and a son, Miles.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Grove|first=Lloyd|date=May 19, 2011|title=Debt-Ceiling Drama: White House Point Man Gene Sperling's Bid for Republican Votes |work=The Daily Beast|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/05/19/debt-ceiling-drama-white-house-point-man-gene-sperlings-bid-for-republican-votes|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref>

==Works==
*{{cite journal |author-link=Walter Dellinger |first1=Walter |last1=Dellinger |first2=Gene B. |last2=Sperling |year=1989 |title=Abortion and the Supreme Court: The Retreat from ''Roe v. Wade'' |journal=[[University of Pennsylvania Law Review]] |volume=138 |issue=1 |pages=83–118 |jstor=3312180 |doi=10.2307/3312180 |url=https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/faculty_scholarship/312 |url-access=subscription }}
*{{cite book |first1=Barbara |last1=Herz |first2=Gene B. |last2=Sperling |year=2004 |title=What Works In Girls' Education: Evidence And Policies From The Developing World |publisher=Council on Foreign Relations Press |isbn=978-0-87609-344-3 |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/whatworksingirls00barb }}
*{{cite journal |first=Gene B. |last=Sperling |year=1985 |title=Judicial Right Declaration and Entrenched Discrimination |journal=[[Yale Law Journal]] |volume=94 |issue=7 |pages=1741–1765 |jstor=796220 |doi=10.2307/796220 |url=https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6948&context=ylj }}
*{{cite journal |author-mask=3 |first=Gene |last=Sperling |year=2001 |title=Toward Universal Education: Making a Promise, and Keeping It |journal=[[Foreign Affairs]] |volume=80 |issue=5 |pages=7–13 |jstor=20050246 |doi=10.2307/20050246 }}
*{{cite book |author-mask=3 |first=Gene |last=Sperling |year=2005 |title=The Pro-Growth Progressive: An Economic Strategy for Shared Prosperity |location=New York |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-7432-3753-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/progrowthprogres00sper }}
*{{Cite book|last=Sperling|first=Gene|title=Economic Dignity|publisher=Penguin Press|year=2020|isbn=978-1984879875}}
*{{cite journal |author-link=William Treanor |first1=William Michael |last1=Treanor |first2=Gene B. |last2=Sperling |year=1993 |title=Prospective Overruling and the Revival of 'Unconstitutional' Statutes |journal=[[Columbia Law Review]] |volume=93 |issue=8 |pages=1902–1955 |jstor=1123007 |doi=10.2307/1123007 |url=https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2069&context=facpub |url-access=subscription }}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* <!--
Links formerly displayed via the CongLinks template:
* [http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-no2005-21443 Works by or about Gene Sperling] in libraries ([[WorldCat]] catalog)
* [http://www.c-spanvideo.org/genesperling Appearances] on [[C-SPAN]] programs
* [http://www.charlierose.com/guest/view/636 Appearances] on [[Charlie Rose (TV show)|''Charlie Rose'']]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0818313 Appearances] at the [[Internet Movie Database]]
* [http://topics.bloomberg.com/gene-sperling Collected news and commentary] at ''[[Bloomberg News]]''
* [http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/gene_sperling/index.html Collected news and commentary] at ''[[The New York Times]]''
* [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gIQASk0t9O_topic.html Collected news and commentary] at ''[[The Washington Post]]''
* -->
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527224523/http://www.commonwealthclub.org/archive/06/06-02sperling-audio.html |date=May 27, 2006 |title=Commonwealth Club of California, archived speech }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120417205345/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5232657621056794494 "The Pro-Growth Progressive" - Gene Sperling speaks at Google]
*[http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9204338/Obama_appointee_Sperling_was_key_H_1B_broker_?source=toc Obama appointee Sperling was key H-1B broker], Computerworld, January 11, 2011
*{{C-SPAN|25573}}

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{{s-bef|before=[[Lawrence Summers|Larry Summers]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Director of the [[National Economic Council (United States)|National Economic Council]]|years=2011–2014}}
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{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sperling, Gene}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century American economists]]
[[Category:Biden administration personnel]]
[[Category:Center for American Progress people]]
[[Category:Clinton administration personnel]]
[[Category:Economists from Michigan]]
[[Category:Goldman Sachs people]]
[[Category:Jewish American government officials]]
[[Category:Obama administration personnel]]
[[Category:People from Ann Arbor, Michigan]]
[[Category:Senior advisors to the president of the United States]]
[[Category:University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Wharton School alumni]]
[[Category:Yale Law School alumni]]