Chairman Scott Leads Executive Session to Consider Nominations

We'll go ahead and get started. We'll give the ranking member an opportunity to have her opening statement and then I'll move to mine. All right, thank you Mr. Chairman. So this evening President Trump and Congressional Republicans are barreling toward a shutdown because they would rather shut down the government than roll back the cuts that will kick 15 million people off their health care and raise insurance premiums for tens of millions more. I think that's shameful. And as we head into a potential shutdown, President Trump is pushing forward with a 20 billion dollar bailout to Argentina. That's 20 billion dollars for Argentina right after Argentina struck a deal with China that knocked the legs out from under American farmers who are already struggling with Trump's sweeping tariffs. How does that make any sense at all? Trump's misguided economic agenda is inflicting real pain on American families and it is about to get worse, a whole lot worse. But we sit here today ready to rush through another batch of Trump's nominees as if it's business as usual. Mr. Kurtz, nominated to lead community and development planning at HUD, has refused to protect programs that are critical to increasing housing supply and lowering housing costs. In other words, he's signing on to the administration's agenda to keep housing unaffordable just as Trump's tariffs drive up construction costs and his newly announced tariffs on kitchen cabinets threaten to push prices for homes even higher. Mr. Hobbs, nominated to lead public and Indian housing at HUD, is already undermining the agency's mission in his current role as Deputy Assistant Secretary, actively implementing punitive and costly measures that weaken the ways HUD could help in a housing crisis. Mr. Pilkerton, nominated to lead investment security at Treasury, would be responsible for ensuring that transactions involving foreign companies do not jeopardize our national security. That's a very important job. But this administration treats our economic and national security like trinkets at a fire sale, ready for whichever billionaire drops by, and Mr. Pilkerton has shown no willingness to reverse course on that. And finally, Mr. Burke, nominated to lead terrorist financing and financial crimes at Treasury, he would be responsible for closing anti-money laundering vulnerabilities and coordinating sanctions with foreign partners. But the administration is rolling back efforts to counter illicit finance and has imposed an eight-month pause on even basic Russian sanctions. Mr. Burke couldn't even acknowledge that Russia started the war against Ukraine. How can he be counted on to coordinate our sanctions against Russia? President Trump promised lower costs on day one. Instead, step by step, he is selling out our national security and our economic security. He's driving up costs for families while destroying America's credibility abroad. At a time when Americans are struggling to afford essentials, and with the administration stripping away affordable health care and raising premiums for tens of millions of Americans, it is irresponsible for Congress to advance these nominees. I will be voting no on all four of them. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. We'll call the committee to order and move to executive session. Today, the committee considers several of President Trump's nominees whose leadership will help strengthen the foundations of American prosperity, safe housing, strong financial markets, and secure communities. For families, a safe and affordable home is more than a roof over their head. It's a starting point for stability, upward mobility, and long-term wealth creation. For communities, it is the anchor that supports small businesses, schools, and local economies. That is why moving these nominees to the Senate floor is so, so important. Mr. Ben Hobbs, nominated to serve as HUD's Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, and a former staffer of mine, has shown a consistent ability to deliver results. He understands how to turn federal resources into real opportunities for families and neighborhoods, particularly those often left behind. Mr. Ronnie Kurtz, nominated to serve as HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, brings practical experience at the local level where zoning, building codes, and development decisions directly shape the supply and affordability of housing. I look forward to working alongside these two to implement the Road to Housing Act once it's signed into law. We are also considering the two nominees at the Treasury Department whose work will be essential to safeguarding America's financial institutions from illicit actors. Mr. Christopher Pirkleton, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary for CFIUS, will lead efforts to keep America's strategic industry safe from investments by adversaries who seek to exploit our open investment environment for their own maligned ends. Mr. Jonathan Burke, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing, brings deep experience in combating financial crime. His leadership will be vital into ensuring our financial systems remain a source of strength for Americans, not a tool for those who wish to do us harm. Taken together, these nominees reflect President Trump's commitment to building a team focused on accountability, opportunity, and security. Their confirmation is critical to tackling challenges like housing affordability, protecting America's economic security, and ensuring families and small businesses can thrive. I urge my colleagues to support advancing them to the full Senate. We will now vote on the nomination of Mr. Ben Hobbs to serve as HUD's Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing. The clerk will call the roll. Mr. Moreno, Mr. McCormick, Ms. Warren, Mr. Reed, Mr. Warner, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Smith, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Kim, Mr. Gallego, Ms. Blunt-Bochester, Ms. Alsobrooks. Mr. Chairman, the vote is 13 in favor and 11 opposed. The ayes have it. The nominations hereby ordered reported favorably to the full Senate. We will now vote on the nomination of Mr. Ronnie Kurtz to serve as HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development. The clerk will call the roll. Mr. Chairman? Aye. Mr. Crapo? Aye. Mr. Rounds? Aye. Mr. Tillis? Aye. Mr. Kennedy? Aye. Mr. Haggerty? Aye. Ms. Lummus? Aye. Ms. Britt? Aye. Mr. Ricketts? Aye. Mr. Banks? Aye. Mr. Kramer? Aye. Mr. Moreno? Aye. Mr. McCormick? Aye. Ms. Warren? No. Mr. Reed? No. Mr. Warner? No. Mr. Van Hollen? No. Ms. Cortez Masto? No. Ms. Smith? No. Mr. Warnock? No. Mr. Kim? No. Mr. Gallego? No. Ms. Blunt-Bochester? No. Ms. Alsobrooks? No. Mr. Chairman, the vote is 13 in favor and 11 opposed. The ayes have it. The nominations hereby ordered reported favorably to the full Senate. We will now vote on the nomination of Mr. Christopher Pickleton nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary for CFIUS. The clerk will call the roll. Mr. Chairman? Aye. Mr. Crapo? Aye. Mr. Rounds? Aye. Mr. Tillis? Aye. Mr. Kennedy? Aye. Mr. Haggerty? Aye. Ms. Lummus? Aye. Ms. Britt? Aye. Mr. Ricketts? Aye. Mr. Banks? Aye. Mr. Kramer? Aye. Mr. Moreno? Aye. Mr. McCormick? Aye. Ms. Warren? No. Mr. Reed? No. Mr. Warner? No. Mr. Van Hollen? No. Ms. Cortez Masto? No. Ms. Smith? No. Mr. Warnock? No. Mr. Kim? No. Mr. Gallego? No. Ms. Blunt-Bochester? No. Ms. Alsobrooks? No. Mr. Chairman, the vote is 13 in favor and 11 opposed. The ayes have it. The nomination is hereby ordered reported favorably to the full Senate. We will now vote on the nomination of Mr. Jonathan Burke nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing. The clerk will call the roll. Mr. Chairman? Aye. Mr. Crapo? Aye. Mr. Rounds? Aye. Mr. Tillis? Aye. Mr. Kennedy? Aye. Mr. Haggerty? Aye. Ms. Lummus? Aye. Mrs. Britt? Aye. Mr. Ricketts? Aye. Mr. Banks? Aye. Mr. Kramer? Aye. Mr. Moreno? Aye. Mr. McCormick? Aye. Ms. Warren? No. Mr. Reed? No. Mr. Warner? Aye. Mr. Van Hollen? No. Ms. Cortez Masto? No. Ms. Smith? No. Mr. Warnock? Aye. Mr. Kim? No. Mr. Gallego? No. Ms. Blunt-Bochester? No. Ms. Alsobrooks? No. Mr. Chairman, the vote is 15 in favor and 9 opposed. The ayes have it. The nomination is hereby ordered reported favorably to the full Senate. Are there any members that would like to make a statement? Seeing none, without any further statements, the executive session is now adjourned. Thank you for being here.