The White House’s Brainard says that with US inflation at a turning point, attention should turn to jobs.

(Reuters) – Top White House economic adviser Lael Brainard said on Monday that the U.S. economy has turned the corner in reducing inflation and now is the time to focus on protecting recent gains in the labor market.

Two days before the Federal Reserve begins a long-awaited monetary easing cycle, Brainard told a Council on Foreign Relations event in New York that inflation is returning to normal levels without the sizable job losses and slowing growth that have were previously predicted.

“Today, we are at an important turning point. Inflation is returning to near normal levels, and it is important to save the important progress we have made in the labor market,” Brainard said in remarks prepared for delivery.

Brainard, the former Fed vice chairman who is now director of the National Economic Council at the White House, did not say in her remarks what action the Fed should take on Wednesday, and her comments were consistent with recent comments by Fed officials.

But she said President Joe Biden emphasized the independence of the US central bank, drawing a contrast to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s frequent criticism of the Fed’s monetary policy decisions during his presidency.

Brainard described actions the Biden administration has taken to support the recovery, from COVID relief spending to clean energy tax subsidies, but said more work is needed to help Americans cope with price pressures and higher costs of living.

“It’s critical that we continue our work together to address affordability challenges and create more opportunities for working families and the middle class,” Brainard said.