Aaron Klein

Aaron Klein is a fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, where he also serves as policy director of the Center on Regulation and Markets. He focuses on financial regulation and technology, payments, macroeconomics, and infrastructure finance and policy. His work on the costs of financial regulation led to a greater focus on anti-money laundering and cannabis banking. He regularly publishes, speaks and comments on these issues.

Previously, Klein directed the Bipartisan Policy Center’sFinancial Regulatory Reform Initiative and helped the BPC launch its Executive Council on Infrastructure. Before the think tank world, Klein had a career in government. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department from 2009-2012. At Treasury he worked on financial regulatory reform, housing finance reform, transportation and infrastructure policy, and Native American issues.

Prior to his appointment at Treasury, he served as Chief Economist of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee for Chairmen Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Paul Sarbanes (D-MD). While working in the Senate Klein played a key role in a series of major legislation including, the Economic Emergency Stabilization Act of 2008 (better known as TARP), the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, the SAFETEA Act of 2005 that re-wrote America's surface transportation policy, the Check Truncation Act of 2003, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

A graduate of Dartmouth College and Princeton University, Klein lives in his hometown of Silver Spring, MD with his wife and two daughters.

Professional affiliations

Brookings Institute