Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who will provide input on combating climate change and potentially become a key conduit between strong progressives who supported Sanders and backers of the more centrist Biden.
One of Sanders' highest-profile supporters, Ocasio-Cortez, will be co-chairwoman of the climate change committee along with former Secretary of State John Kerry, who was a visible Biden surrogate.
Biden has been courting liberals who were initially hostile to his candidacy to shore up support ahead of the November 3 election against President Donald Trump, who has questioned the scientific consensus that global warming is risky and driven by fossil fuel consumption. Biden has continued to resist Sanders's "Medicare for All" plan and has instead promoted a public option that would operate alongside private coverage.
Former vice president Joe Biden and Sen.
In the weeks since Sanders's departure from the 2020 race, Biden has signaled a willingness to work on evolving his policy view, telling donors last month he asked his team to develop additional policies to add to existing proposals.
It was later revealed that Ocasio-Cortez will co-chair the task force groups focusing on climate policy as a representative for Sanders, the congresswoman's spokeswoman told CNN reporter Greg Krieg.
"Now, it's no great secret out there, Joe, that you and I have our differences, and we're not going to paper them over; that's real", Sanders said at the time.
A slew of other Sanders and Biden allies fill out the rest of the working groups, which will meet ahead of the Democratic convention slated for August, and "make recommendations to the DNC Platform Committee and to Vice President Biden directly" according to the release announcing the committee memberships.
Leading the economy task force is Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants, and Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif. Another prominent member of the criminal justice task force is former Attorney General Eric Holder, who served in the Obama administration.
Biden announced during an interview with a local Las Vegas TV station that the congresswoman would be involved in one of six task force groups, which will also cover education, criminal justice, immigration, health care, and the economy.
In the same statement, Sanders echoed his sentiments during the campaign, urging the party to think "big, act boldly, and fight to change the direction of our country".
