President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team announced today (Sat., Nov. 15) that he has chosen veteran Capitol Hill aide Philip Schiliro as his top White House representative to Congress.
Philip Schiliro has worked in Congress for more than 25 years, many of which were spent as a top aide to longtime Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and the House Oversight Committee. His official title will be assistant to the president for legislative affairs when the new administration takes over Jan. 20.
Obama’s team also formally announced that Ron Klain, a former chief of staff to Vice President Al Gore, would serve in the same role for Vice President-elect Joe Biden, and that longtime Obama friend and supporter Valerie Jarrett will be a senior adviser and assistant to Obama for intergovernmental relations.
Information from USA Today and the Associated Press contributed to this report.