Don Graves, Former Dep. Sec. of Commerce, "We Have the Most Effective Government in the World"

The Fly

Welcome back flies!! It’s the end of another great semester here at Georgetown which means it’s the season finale of The Fly! What a better way to end the season than with GU Politics Fellow Don Graves! Graves served as the 19th Deputy Secretary of Commerce under the Biden-Harris Administration from May 2021 to January 2025. He previously served as Counselor to President Biden during the 2020 campaign and held senior roles in the Obama-Biden Administration, including Executive Director of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he oversaw programs like the CDFI Fund and the Small Business Lending Fund. Austin and Chloe spoke with Graves about the future of the federal workforce, the value of the private and public sectors, and Graves’ political experience in both Detroit and Puerto Rico. Graves also spoke on his experience drafting major policy like the CHIPS Act, and the importance of government accountability and results. This is a must-see season finale, so tune in! We’ve had so many great guests this season, and cannot thank everyone enough for coming onto the podcast this semester. See you all in the fall and have a great summer!!