January 10, 2017

Sen. Warren Questions HUD Secretary-Designate's Priorities for the Agency

Warren Continues Oversight, Examination of President-elect Trump Nominees, Following Letter to Education Secretary-Designate DeVos

Text of letter to Carson
Text of letter to DeVos

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary-Designate, Dr. Ben Carson, raising questions about Carson's experience and priorities for the agency. This letter comes in advance of Dr. Carson's appearance before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on Thursday.

"Although you have many accomplishments in the medical field, there is relatively little in the public record that reveals how you would further HUD's mission to ‘create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all,'" wrote Senator Warren.

The letter asks 35 questions about Dr. Carson's views on HUD's role, including providing access to safe and stable housing for families in need, promoting financial and housing independence, enforcing federal housing laws, and responding to natural disasters and climate change. She also questioned how Dr. Carson plans to manage an agency as large as HUD given his lack of relevant experience. Sen. Warren asked that Dr. Carson "review these questions and arrive prepared to answer them" at his Banking Committee nomination hearing

Senator Warren pressed Secretary-Designate Carson on the responsibilities of leading HUD. The senator wrote, "HUD's housing and development programs impact the lives of millions of Americans. The agency deserves a strong, capable leader who believes in its mission and has the interest, ambition, and administrative ability to carry out that mission. I hope you will answer the questions in this letter so that the Senate - and the American people - can understand better how you plan to lead this agency."

A PDF copy of the letter is available here.

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