October 31, 2013

JOHNSON STATEMENT ON CONGRESSMAN WATT VOTE

WASHINGTON – Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) today released the following statement after the nomination of Congressman Mel Watt to serve as the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency was blocked from getting an up-or-down vote.

“It is disappointing that a sitting member of Congress with over 40 years of relevant experience was denied an up-or-down vote by a minority of Senators today. It is not a secret that this vote was pure obstructionist politics at play. The last FHFA nominee, North Carolina’s Insurance Commissioner Joe Smith, a technocrat, was also denied a vote. Now, Congressman Watt is being blocked because he is a ‘politician,’ never mind the fact that he has worked on housing policy for 21 years as a member of the House Financial Services Committee. This is not the end for Congressman Watt’s nomination, and I will continue to fight to see that he is confirmed.”

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