据悉,现任美联储主席伯南克的任期将于2014年1月份结束。此前,呼声最高的下任美联储主席候选人拉里萨默斯出人意料地放弃了对此职位的竞选。如果顺利出任美联储主席,耶伦将成为历史上掌舵美联储的首位女性。她曾任克林顿政府的白宫经济顾问委员会主席、哈佛大学教授和美联储旧金山地区储备银行行长。

　　President Barack Obama has nominated Janet Yellen to head the U.S. Federal Reserve.  If confirmed by the Senate, she would be the first woman to lead the central bank for the world's largest economy.  Yellen is currently the second-in-command at the Fed, and many economists say she is likely to continue its efforts to boost economic growth and lower unemployment by cutting short and long-term interest rates.

　　Obama came into office during the worst recession in decades, and opinion polls show the economy remains a top issue for voters.

　　Unemployment has improved recently, but slowly, giving 67-year-old former Berkeley professor and long-time Fed official Janet Yellen a tough job. Obama says he has confidence in her.

　　"One of the nation's foremost economists and policymakers, current vice chairman, Janet Yellen," said President Obama.

　　Yellen says she understands the plight of the nation's millions of unemployed people.

　　"While we have made progress, we have farther to go.  The mandate of the Federal Reserve is to serve all the American people, and too many Americans still cannot find a job, and worry how they will pay their bills and provide for their families," said Yellen.

　　Yellen would replace Ben Bernanke, whose second term as head of the U.S. central bank ends in January. Obama praised his skill, creativity and courage in using unprecedented tactics to cope with severe economic problems.