Banking Committee orders three nominations reported favorably to full Senate

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee in executive session voted to report three presidential nominations to the full Senate: William Pulte to be director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency; Jonathan McKernan to be director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection; and Jeffrey Kessler to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security.

The chair announced that each nomination was decided by roll-call vote and that the committee had “ordered reported favorably to the full Senate.” The clerk conducted roll-call votes; committee members cast a mixture of recorded and proxy votes. The clerk reported vote tallies during the session: 15 in favor and 9 opposed on William Pulte; 11 in favor and 11 opposed on Jonathan McKernan; and 13 in favor and 11 opposed on Jeffrey Kessler. Each of those nominations was announced as ordered reported favorably to the full Senate.

Why it matters: reporting a nomination “favorably” is the committee’s formal step of sending a nominee’s nomination to the full Senate for consideration. Committee approval does not by itself confirm a nominee; final confirmation requires a floor vote by the full Senate.

How the session proceeded: the chair moved each nomination to a roll-call vote and the clerk called the roll. Several senators recorded votes by proxy during the roll calls; the committee voice repeated the clerks’ tallies before the chair stated, “The ayes have it. The nominations hereby ordered reported favorably to the full Senate.” A committee member said they would submit a statement for the record prior to adjournment. The executive session then adjourned.

Votes at a glance

- William Pulte — Nominee for director, Federal Housing Finance Agency. Committee roll-call tally reported by the clerk: 15 in favor, 9 opposed. Outcome: ordered reported favorably to the full Senate.

- Jonathan McKernan — Nominee for director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Committee roll-call tally reported by the clerk: 11 in favor, 11 opposed. Outcome: ordered reported favorably to the full Senate.

- Jeffrey Kessler — Nominee for Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security. Committee roll-call tally reported by the clerk: 13 in favor, 11 opposed. Outcome: ordered reported favorably to the full Senate.

No committee statements providing additional public record testimony or extended debate on the floor were recorded in the executive-session excerpt; one member indicated they would submit a statement for the record. No amendments to the nominations were recorded in the excerpt.