Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Chairman of the Congressional Urban Caucus, issues this statement upon President-Elect Obama announcing his Economic team, including Melody C. Barnes as Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

“President-Elect Obama has moved swiftly and forcefully today to put in place a strong team to deal with our Number One domestic issue, the crisis in our economy.

“In particular, I welcome the choice of Melody Barnes, a talented and experienced voice in a critical and sometimes overlooked field, as Director of the Domestic Policy Council. Ms. Barnes has provided wise counsel to our next President as a key domestic policy advisor to both the Obama campaign and the Transition Team. Her impressive resume includes Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress and eight years as chief counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“As we set the urban and metropolitan agenda for our great cities in the 111th Congress, I look forward to close cooperation between the Congressional Urban Caucus and the White House domestic policy team to shape the strategies and legislation to pull our nation up by the bootstraps. 

“I support the President-Elect’s call for a major economic stimulus package as his Administration hits the ground running on January 20. I congratulate President-Elect Obama upon these excellent choices, including Ms. Barnes, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Lawrence Summers as the Director of the National Economic Council and Christina Romer as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers.”