Banking Committee Approves Ben Carson for Housing and Urban Development Position
- Updated Jan 25, 2017
The Senate Banking Committee approved the nomination of Dr. Ben Carson for the position of Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Tuesday (Jan. 24).
Carson, who had initially been one of President Trump’s opponents in the 2016 election race, later became one of his strong supporters.
Although Carson initially said he would not be accepting a position in the new administration’s cabinet because he did not feel he had the necessary qualifications and experience, he later changed his mind and accepted the position with HUD.
Some of Trump’s other nominations for cabinet positions, such as Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson or Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos, drew strong opposition from Democrats, but Carson was one of the less controversial figures.
According to a report from Politico.com, the Senate Banking Committee confirmed Carson’s nomination in a simple voice vote. Democratic lawmakers said that, although they had reservations about Carson, they also were hopeful that he will address such issues as fair housing laws and will be an advocate for rental assistance.
"I would not have chosen him because of his lack of experience and his often troubling public statements over the last three years," said Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the committee’s top Democrat. "But despite my reservations and my disagreements with some of his positions, I'll give Dr. Carson the benefit of the doubt."
Photo courtesy: flickr.com
Publication date: January 25, 2017
