Need to Confirm Mel Watt This Week

Mel Watt on left accepting the nomination to FHFATake Action Today!!!

The National Low Income Housing Coalition is asking volunteers to call Senator Portman and urge that he support the nomination of former US Representative of North Carolina Mel Watt for director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.  His nomination was voted out of the Banking Committee in July and he has waited for a vote by the full Senate.

The current director of FHFA has been hostile to the National Housing Trust fund and advocates advocacy to reduce the impact of the foreclosure crisis. FHFA is the regulator of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and has been largely silent on solutions to the housing crisis in the United States.   We need a new director for this critical agency as soon as possible. 

Please contact your Senator especially those in Ohio need to call Senator Portman and urge a closure vote on this nomination.  Call 202-224-3353 and ask Portman to support a vote on Mel Watt or you can visit the NLIHC website to contact Congress. 

Unless the person is absolutely inappropriate for office, we always support the President having his choice for service in the Executive branch of government.  At least the person deserves a vote of the full Senate in a timely manner.  Please call or e-mail Senator Portman today. 

Update:  For the first time since the Civil War, a sitting member of Congress was blocked by the Senate for appointed to head an executive branch office.  We have to thank Senator Portman for voting to advance the Watt nomination for a full vote of the Senate.  He was one of only two Republicans who voted to support the closure vote.  It is difficult to understand how the minority of Senators can control who the President nominates for office.   It seems obvious that there is as much dysfunction in Congress as we saw during the mid 1800s and the Civil War. 

Brian Davis

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