[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 37 (Thursday, March 2, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1546-S1548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
proceed to executive session to resume consideration of the following 
nomination, which the clerk will report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read the nomination of 
Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., of Florida, to be Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will now be 20 
minutes of debate equally divided.
  If nobody yields time, the time will be charged equally.
  The Senator from Idaho.
  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I stand this morning just before we vote on 
Dr. Benjamin Carson as the next Secretary of the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development to strongly urge my colleagues to support his 
nomination.
  Dr. Carson was advanced in the committee by a voice vote, as Senator 
Brown and I worked with the Banking Committee to assure that his 
nomination moved through smoothly. I thank Senator Brown for his 
cooperation and work to help us move this nomination promptly.
  Dr. Carson also received numerous letters of support from former HUD 
Secretaries and housing stakeholders alike. There truly is an 
excitement for his leadership to be brought to the Department.
  As I highlighted yesterday, Dr. Carson has said that once confirmed, 
he is committed to embarking on a listening tour, where he will hear 
stories and concerns from housing stakeholders across America. This 
presents a real opportunity for Americans to weigh in on how housing 
issues affect them in their local communities--input that can make a 
lasting impact on HUD policies.
  Once Dr. Carson is confirmed, we can begin working on several 
important issues under HUD's jurisdiction. Homelessness, especially 
among our Nation's veterans, needs to be addressed. We need to 
streamline regulatory burdens on local public housing agencies so that 
they can more efficiently serve the communities that rely on them. 
Financing arrangements for small and rural affordable housing 
developments should also be strengthened.
  For years, there has been bipartisan interest in a number of these 
reforms. I look forward to having a strong partner at HUD so that we 
can tackle these important issues and many others head-on. I am eager 
to get that process started and to start work with Dr. Carson, with 
Ranking Member Brown, and

[[Page S1547]]

with other members of the Banking Committee on these critical issues.
  Again, I urge my colleagues to vote to confirm Dr. Carson so that 
this important work can begin.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development plays a vital role ensuring that all Americans have access 
to safe affordable housing. Affordable housing should not be a 
political issue; it is a moral issue. Programs like Section 8 and the 
Community Development Block Grant, CDBG, Program keep families in their 
homes and support and maintain affordable housing. That is not up for 
debate.
  I am disappointed that President Trump did not look to our 
knowledgeable housing advocates across the country to identify a 
qualified, experienced nominee to serve as Secretary of the Department 
of Housing and Urban Development and instead nominated Dr. Ben Carson 
to this important position. In testimony before the Senate Banking 
Committee, Dr, Carson, like many nominees, said the right things. He 
made the right promises. I want to believe that he will fulfill those 
commitments.
  Programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development keep shelter over the heads of our Nation's struggling and 
low-income families. They combat homelessness among adults and children 
alike by building and maintaining affordable housing and helping 
families buy their first homes. I am proud of the progress we have made 
in Vermont and across the Nation through programs implemented by the 
Department of Housing and Urban Deveropment. During his confirmation 
hearing, Dr. Carson testified to the crucial role of rental assistance 
programs. He pledged to be an advocate for funding for housing 
assistance programs. He turned away from his previous call for a 10-
percent across-the-board cut to housing programs. I hope that Dr. 
Carson will fulfill these commitments.
  I continue to have concerns regarding Dr. Carson's seeming animosity 
toward the affirmatively furthering fair housing, AFFH rule, which he 
called a ``failed socialist experiment'' in an op-ed in the Washington 
Times. While Dr. Carson tried to minimize those comments in his 
hearing, I remain concerned that Dr. Carson doesn't understand the AFFH 
rule. This rule asks cities and towns receiving Federal dollars to look 
at their housing patterns to identify racial bias and to take action to 
rectify any bias they find. Dr. Carson has called it social 
engineering. I call it social justice and support the examination of 
policies to promote equality and eliminate discrimination. During his 
confirmation hearing, he pledged to enforce our fair housing laws. I 
believe this includes upholding the AFFH.
  I am concerned that Dr. Carson lacks the necessary experience to 
successfully serve as our Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 
He will be confirmed, of that there is no doubt. I hope that Dr. Carson 
will work with both sides of the aisle to further the mission of the 
Department, strengthen the successful programs that keep families in 
their homes, build and support and maintain affordable housing in 
Vermont and across the Nation, and help first-time home buyers realize 
their homeownership goals.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, Congress created the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development in 1965 to create strong, sustainable, 
inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all Americans. 
During last year's Presidential campaign, however, President Trump 
often called into question his commitment to an inclusive America. 
Thus, the abilities and commitment of the Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development are all the more important.
  I voted, along with others in the Banking Committee, to report Dr. 
Carson's nomination to the full Senate because I wanted to allow the 
nomination to proceed to the floor for consideration and debate. During 
that time, I have further examined the nomination. I reviewed the 
statements and letters that I have received from organizations and 
individuals who are directly impacted by the work of HUD.
  Dr. Carson is a gifted neurosurgeon, but nothing in his experience 
indicates that he is prepared to run an 8,400-employee government 
agency. Armstrong Williams, a business manager and close friend of Dr. 
Carson's, told Reuters in November, ``His life has not prepared him to 
be a Cabinet secretary.'' Mr. Williams told CNN, ``He's never run an 
agency and it's a lot to ask. He's a neophyte and that's not his 
strength.'' And Mr. Williams told The Hill newspaper, ``Dr. Carson 
feels he has no government experience, he's never run a federal 
agency.''
  Moreover, Dr. Carson's past statements have questioned the mission of 
the agency that he would lead. He has implied that housing assistance 
provided by the Department is harmful. He has characterized it as if it 
were calculated to create dependency, ignoring the real world needs of 
people who rely on this important safety net. Dr. Carson was dismissive 
when, during his confirmation hearing, I noted that so many millions of 
people who receive housing assistance are seniors or people with 
disabilities, and I asked Dr. Carson about his past advocacy of 
abolishing Medicare and Medicaid. Dr. Carson's testimony in committee 
did not show understanding of the importance of these safety net 
programs to seniors or people with disabilities.
  Dr. Carson has also made several statements that call into question 
his view of the role of the Department in ensuring fair housing for 
all. Specifically, he has said disparaging things about housing 
desegregation efforts. In July of 2015, Dr. Carson wrote in the 
Washington Times that the Department of Housing and Urban Development 
rule designed to desegregate housing, the ``affirmatively further'' 
rule, was a ``social experiment'' and he likened it to ``failed 
socialist experiments.''
  Dr. Carson likened housing desegregation to ``what you see in 
communist countries.'' After HUD issued a letter declaring that the 
city of Dubuque's implementation of the section 8 housing voucher 
program was intentionally discriminatory against Black applicants from 
Chicago, Dr. Carson told Iowa radio show host Jan Mickelson, ``This is 
what you see in communist countries, where they have so many 
regulations encircling every aspect of your life that if you don't 
agree with them, all they have to do is pull the noose.''
  Dr. Carson has also shown a lax attitude toward holding accountable 
those who triggered the housing crisis and financial collapse.
  In the February 2016 CBS Republican Presidential debate, Dr. Carson 
seemed to question the penalty that the Justice Department and the New 
York Attorney General extracted from a big New York bank for 
contributing to the mortgage crisis. The Wall Street Journal's Kimberly 
Strassel asked Dr. Carson: ``This week Morgan Stanley agreed to pay a 
$3.2 billion fine to state and federal authorities for contributing to 
the mortgage crisis. You have a lot of Democrats out saying that we 
should be jailing more executives, so two questions. Should financial 
executives be held legally responsible for financial crisis, and do you 
think fines like these are an effective way to deter companies from 
future behavior like that?''
  Dr. Carson replied: ``Now, the--as far as these fines are concerned, 
you know? Here's the big problem. We've got all these government 
regulators, and all they're doing is running around looking for people 
to fine. And, we've got 645 different federal agencies, and sub-
agencies. Way, way too many, and they don't have anything else to do. I 
think what we really need to do is start trimming the regulatory 
agencies rather than going after the people who are trying to increase 
the viability, economic viability of our society.''
  While criticizing the Justice Department for its work to hold Wall 
Street accountable, Dr. Carson also advocated for a policy that would 
have made housing less affordable. His campaign website called for 
``privatizing housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.'' Fannie Mae 
and Freddie Mac play an important role providing liquidity to the 
nation's mortgage finance system. A large number of advocacy groups, 
academics, and-industry stakeholders alike agree that some form of 
government backstop is necessary to ensure a stable housing market and 
to maintain the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.
  I am also deeply troubled by statements made by Dr. Carson that 
indicate intolerance. When, in September

[[Page S1548]]

2015, Chuck Todd of NBC's Meet the Press asked Dr. Carson whether he 
thought Islam is consistent with the Constitution, Dr. Carson answered, 
``No, I don't, I do not.'' Dr. Carson's remarks revealed a fundamental 
misunderstanding about the First Amendment and religious liberty. And 
Dr. Carson's remarks about the LGBT community also raise concerns about 
tolerance.
  Because of all the concerns that I have raised, I will not be able to 
support Dr. Carson's nomination for this post. However, should he be 
confirmed, I will do everything possible to help make his tenure 
successful. Specifically, I was heartened by Dr. Carson's statements 
about wanting to address the hazards of lead paint. I was pleased that, 
at his confirmation hearing, Dr. Carson agreed that he would urge 
President Trump to continue the White House task force that President 
Obama created after the Freddie Gray tragedy in Baltimore to help 
Baltimore by trying to break down some of the silos among different 
Federal agencies. We have a lot of work to do in Baltimore and 
throughout Maryland.
  Mr. CRAPO. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Strange). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I yield back all time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Carson 
nomination?
  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 58, nays 41, as follows:

                       [Rollcall Vote No. 77 Ex.]

                                YEAS--58

     Alexander
     Barrasso
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Brown
     Burr
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Cochran
     Collins
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Donnelly
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Flake
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hatch
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hoeven
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     King
     Lankford
     Lee
     Manchin
     McCain
     McConnell
     Moran
     Murkowski
     Paul
     Perdue
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Scott
     Shelby
     Strange
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Warner
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--41

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     Kaine
     Klobuchar
     Leahy
     Markey
     McCaskill
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Murray
     Nelson
     Peters
     Reed
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Stabenow
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--1

       
     Isakson
       
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote on the 
nomination, and I move to table the motion to reconsider.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the motion to 
table.
  The motion was agreed to.

                          ____________________