U.S. President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Sunday named Mitch Landrieu as his senior advisor responsible for coordinating the implementation of this historic bipartisan infrastructure law. Mr. Biden is scheduled to sign the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Monday.
The White House said in this role, Landrieu “will oversee the most significant and comprehensive investments in American infrastructure in generations—work that independent experts verify will create millions of high-paying, union jobs while boosting our economic competitiveness in the world, strengthening our supply chains, and acting against inflation for the long term.”
“Landrieu will be a critical team member when it comes to delivering on the biggest investments in roads, bridges, and rail in generations; investments in ports and airports, the biggest investment in mass transit in American history, investments that stop our children from drinking poisoned water, unprecedented clean energy and climate resilience investments, and investments that connect every American to high speed internet,” the White House added.
As Mayor of New Orleans, Landrieu took office at a time when the city’s recovery from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina had stalled. He hit the ground running, fast-tracking over 100 projects and securing billions in federal funding for roads, schools, hospitals, parks and critical infrastructure, turning New Orleans into one of America’s great comeback stories. He also went on to chair the U.S. Conference of Mayors, leading the main bipartisan organization representing mayors across the country, and was recognized by Governing Magazine as the Public Official of the Year in 2015. He also became nationally known for bringing communities together and making racial equity a chief priority.
As the former Lt. Governor of Louisiana, he also knows what it’s like to lead at the state level and will be able to work with and relate to governors and other state officials. And he has strong relationships in the business and labor communities, which will be essential in carrying out this job.
“I am thankful to the President and honored to be tasked with coordinating the largest infrastructure investment in generations,” said Mitch Landrieu. “Our work will require strong partnerships across the government and with state and local leaders, business and labor to create good-paying jobs and rebuild America for the middle class. We will also ensure these major investments achieve the President’s goals of combating climate change and advancing equity.”
Mitch Landrieu served as the 61st Mayor of New Orleans (2010–2018) When he took office, the city was still recovering from Hurricane Katrina and in the midst of the BP Oil Spill.
Under Landrieu’s leadership, New Orleans is widely recognized as one of the nation’s great comeback stories. In 2015, Landrieu was named “Public Official of the Year” by Governing, and in 2016 was voted “America’s top turnaround mayor” in a Politico survey of mayors. He also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Landrieu gained national prominence for his powerful decision to take down four Confederate monuments in New Orleans, which also earned him the prestigious John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. In his book, In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History, Landrieu recounts his personal journey confronting the issue of race and institutional racism that still plagues America.
In 2018, he launched E Pluribus Unum, an initiative in the South created to fulfill America’s promise of justice and opportunity for all by breaking down the barriers that divide us by race and class. Prior to serving as Mayor, Landrieu served two terms as lieutenant governor and 16 years in the state legislature. He and his wife Cheryl live in New Orleans, where they raised their five children.