Public radio’s longest-running daily global news program.
©2026 The World from PRX
PRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402.
US Senate confirms Jack Lew as new US Treasury Secretary
Jack Lew’s appointment as treasury secretary comes at a critical moment for the American economy.
Jack Lew, now being called “Loopy Lew” for his distinctive signature, is pictured at a White House press briefing in Washington, DC, on Sept. 19, 2011.
Chip Somodevilla
Jack Lew, President Barack Obama's ex-chief of staff, has been confirmed as the new US treasury secretary by the Senate, according to Agence-France Press.
Lew will take on the post in the run-up to key budget negotiations in Washington, with the Obama administration and US lawmakers divided over the best way to address a ballooning national deficit, among other pressing fiscal matters.
The Senate voted 71-26 in support of Lew, said the Associated Press. The 57-year-old will replace Timothy Geithner after four years in office.
Lew previously served under Clinton as the White House budget director, according to ABC News.