A Native American is being appointed U.S. treasurer, a historic first.

The White House on Tuesday announced President Joe Biden�s intent to appoint Marilynn �Lynn� Malerba as his administration establishes an Office of Tribal and Native Affairs at the Treasury Department, which will be overseen by the U.S. treasurer.

The treasurer�s duties include oversight of the U.S. Mint, serving as a liaison with the Federal Reserve and overseeing Treasury�s Office of Consumer Policy. The treasurer�s signature appears on U.S. currency.

Malerba, who is the lifetime chief of the Mohegan Indian Tribe, previously worked as a registered nurse, according to the tribe�s website, and has served in various tribal government roles. The tribe�s reservation is located on the Thames River in Uncasville, Connecticut.

�For the first time in history, a Tribal leader and Native woman�s name will be the signature on our currency,� Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in remarks prepared ahead of the announcement.

�Chief Malerba will expand our unique relationship with Tribal nations, continuing our joint efforts to support the development of Tribal economies and economic opportunities for Tribal citizens,� Yellen said.

Yellen was set to visit the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota on Tuesday, the first time a Treasury secretary has visited a tribal nation. She is expected to focus on how the American Rescue Plan has affected tribal communities.

The relief package allotted more than $30 billion to Tribal governments, some of which oversee the poorest communities in the nation.

For instance, 59% of Rosebud Sioux Tribal households live in poverty, according to U.S. government estimates. Native communities have also suffered the brunt of waves of COVID-19-related deaths and drug overdoses.

Biden, a Democrat, has taken several steps to demonstrate his commitment to tribal nations, including naming Deb Haaland as the first Native American to lead the Interior Department.

Haaland is leading a reckoning with the U.S. government�s role in Native American boarding schools, which stripped children of their cultures and identities.

On Wednesday, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the Interior Department�s report on its investigation into the federal government�s past oversight of Native American boarding schools.

Biden also issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples� Day, with the intent of refocusing the federal holiday previously dedicated to explorer Christopher Columbus toward an appreciation of Native people.

�It is especially important that our Native voices are respected,� Malerba said in a statement. �This appointment underscores this Administration�s commitment to doing just that. I am excited to serve our communities as Treasurer and for the work ahead.�

(AP)