Cummings Statement on Senate Vote to Block Nomination of Mel Watt to Lead FHFA

Oct 31, 2013
Press Release

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked the nomination of Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.) to be director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA):

“Senate Republicans are shutting their eyes and covering their ears in order to actively disregard Congressman Watt’s deep expertise in housing policy and decades of service on the House Financial Services Committee, and their effort to block a vote on Congressman Watt’s nomination to lead the FHFA is based on nothing but politics.  I hope the Senate will reconsider and allow a vote on Congressman Watt’s nomination in the next few weeks.”

FHFA has operated without a permanent director for four years.

113th Congress