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Shuwanza Goff first Black woman named White House director of Legislative Affairs

Former House floor director Shuwanza Goff made history on Monday when she became the first Black woman named to serve as White House director of Legislative Affairs. Photo courtesy of Shuwanza Goff/LinkedIn

Former House floor director Shuwanza Goff made history on Monday when she became the first Black woman to serve as White House director of Legislative Affairs.

Goff will play a crucial role in seeing President Joe Biden’s agenda move forward in the House and Senate while maintaining a working relationship with Republicans.

She previously was appointed deputy director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs and was a liaison to the House of Representatives. Biden lauded her accomplishments in that role in a statement on Monday.

“Shuwanza is a proven leader and trusted voice on both sides of the aisle. She returns to the White House with strong relationships across both chambers, forged over more than a decade on Capitol Hill,” Biden said in a statement.

“Shuwanza’s close partnership with my decades-long friends in the House and Senate, and her expertise, instincts and deep respect for the United States Congress will continue to serve our administration and the American people well.”

Goff also was the first Black woman to take on the role of House floor director, taking the position in 2019 before joining the Biden administration.

“It’s great to be the first,” Goff said in a 2021 interview. “But really, the responsibility is to ensure that we’re not the last.”

The Biden administration has checked off several priorities from his day-one agenda, including delivering COVID-19 vaccines, passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and CHIPS and Science Act and capping out-of-pocket insulin costs.

Of late, Biden has touted the fruits of his economic efforts, which he has referred to as “Bidenomics.” Earlier this month during a trip to South Carolina, Biden said the United States has added 13 million jobs since he has taken office.

In the final 17 months of Biden’s current term, Goff will continue to press forward on the administration’s agenda, which the White House has said has focused on strengthening the middle class.

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