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Administration Officials Call for Up or Down Vote on Mel Watt Confirmation

by devteam October 31st, 2013 | Share

At an afternoon press conference on WednesdayrnSecretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan and Gene Sperling,rnDirector of the National Economic Council called on the Senate to hold an uprnor down vote to confirm Mel Watt as Director of the Federal Housing FinancernAgency.  It appeared from the tone andrnwords of the two men that the Administration is not certain it is going tornhappen.</p

Donovan said that the economy and the housing sectorrnhave made much progress since the President came into office but that now therernis a need for certainty as the recovery moves forward.  Watt, he said, has a wealth of experience,rnhaving served 20 years on the House Financial Services Committee where he hasrnfought to protect people from financial abuses, fought for affordable housing,rnand shown an ability to work across the aisle. rnIt is urgent that the Senate confirm the Congressman quickly and on arnbi-partisan basis.</p

Sperling said the appointment is a top economicrnpriority for the White House.  It will,rnhe said, create much needed certainty and give the agency a platform for makingrnmuch needed reform to the housing finance system.</p

He attacked those who are blocking confirmationrnattempts saying that there is no good reason to oppose Watt’s appointment, nornreason to filibuster that appointment, and no one has yet to give one.  It is almost unheard of, he said, for arnsitting member of Congress to be filibustered.</p

He noted that two of Watt’s fellow North Carolinians,rnErskine Bowles, co-chair of the Simpson Bowles Commission and former Bank ofrnAmerican CEO and Chairman Hugh McCall, both of whom have known Watts for yearsrnhave strongly endorsed his appointment as have the National Association ofrnRealtors, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Home Builders,rnand the Multifamily Housing Council.</p

Watts nomination will be brought to the floor in thernnext few days, and there is talk that there will be senators who will refuse tornvote to cut off debate. “Watt deserves an up and down vote, the Presidentrndeserves to see his nominees get an up or down vote and the certainty of thernhousing markets deserve one as well,” Sperling said.

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About the Author

devteam

Steven A Feinberg (@CPAsteve) of Appletree Business Services LLC, is a PASBA member accountant located in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

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