Keith Hall (Commissioner)
Encyclopedia
Keith Hall is the current Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a unit of the Department of Labor
. Hall was nominated by President George W. Bush
to become the BLS Commissioner in September 2007 and was confirmed by the Senate
in December 2007. Hall has also worked for the Department of Commerce
, Department of Treasury, the International Trade Commission
, and the Executive Office of the White House.
and University of Missouri
.
On April 1, 2011, Hall testified on Capitol Hill to the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee
that the nation's unemployment rate had fallen to 8.8 percent, a two-year low. Statistics released by the BLS showed that nonfarm payroll employment rose by 1.5 million from February 2010 and private sector employment increased by 1.8 million during the same period.
and his Ph.D. from Purdue University
.
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
. Hall was nominated by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to become the BLS Commissioner in September 2007 and was confirmed by the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in December 2007. Hall has also worked for the Department of Commerce
United States Department of Commerce
The United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth. It was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on February 14, 1903...
, Department of Treasury, the International Trade Commission
United States International Trade Commission
The United States International Trade Commission is an independent, bi-partisan, quasi-judicial, federal agency of the United States that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches. Further, the agency determines the impact of imports on U.S...
, and the Executive Office of the White House.
Career
Hall was nominated by President George W. Bush to his current position of Commissioner of the BLS in September 2007 and was confirmed by the Senate in December. He was sworn-in to office in January 2008 and is set to serve a four-year term that will end in 2012. Prior to his current position, Hall most recently served as the Chief Economist for the White House Council of Economic Advisers. He also held the positions of Chief Economist for the Department of Commerce and Senior International Economist for the International Trade Commission's Research Division. He has also served as a faculty member for the University of ArkansasUniversity of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
and University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
.
On April 1, 2011, Hall testified on Capitol Hill to the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee
United States Congress Joint Economic Committee
The Joint Economic Committee is one of four standing joint committees of the U.S. Congress. The committee was established as a part of the Employment Act of 1946, which deemed the committee responsible for reporting the current economic condition of the United States and for making suggestions...
that the nation's unemployment rate had fallen to 8.8 percent, a two-year low. Statistics released by the BLS showed that nonfarm payroll employment rose by 1.5 million from February 2010 and private sector employment increased by 1.8 million during the same period.
Personal life
Hall received his B.A. from the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and his Ph.D. from Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
.