Senate Banking Committee advances four Trump nominees amid Democratic objections over FDIC oversight

WASHINGTON — The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs voted in executive session to report four of President Trump’s nominees favorably to the full Senate, advancing nominations for leadership at Ginnie Mae, the Federal Housing Administration, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the U.S. Mint.

The committee voted to send Joseph Gormley’s nomination for president of the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), Francis Cassidy’s nomination to be Assistant Secretary for Housing and FHA Commissioner, Paul Hollis’ nomination to be director of the U.S. Mint, and Travis Hill’s nomination to be chairperson of the FDIC board to the full Senate. In each case the clerk recorded a 13–11 or 14–10 roll call resulting in the nomination being reported favorably.

The session opened with an extended statement by the committee’s ranking member, who focused objections on Travis Hill. The ranking member alleged that Hill, while serving as acting FDIC chair, had refused to provide independent monitoring reports about a documented toxic workplace to Congress, had blocked the independent monitor from sharing information, and had cut staffing in the Office of Professional Conduct by 30 percent. "The reports are abysmal," the ranking member said, and warned that “cutting bank examiners, tying their hands, and rolling back safeguards on mega banks” could put taxpayers and the financial system at risk. Those statements were presented as the ranking member’s allegations; the committee did not substantiate them on the record during the session.

The committee chairman framed the nominations as essential to housing finance and financial stability. The chairman said the nominees would bring "deep expertise" and argued that confirming experienced leaders was "a matter of real consequence for the economy and communities across our country." He urged colleagues to advance the slate to the full Senate so the agencies could begin delivering on housing and financial stability priorities.

Votes at a glance: - Joseph Gormley (Ginnie Mae): Reported favorably, vote recorded as 13 ayes, 11 no. Named ayes included the chairman and a majority of Republican members listed on the roll; Democratic senators including Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed were recorded as voting no. Several Democrats registered no votes by proxy. - Francis Cassidy (FHA): Reported favorably, vote recorded as 14 ayes, 10 no. The roll call recorded several no votes by Democrats, including a mixture of in-person and proxy no votes. - Paul Hollis (U.S. Mint): Reported favorably, vote recorded as 13 ayes, 11 no. - Travis Hill (FDIC): Reported favorably, vote recorded as 13 ayes, 11 no. Democrats voiced objections in debate prior to the vote, centering on access to monitoring reports and staffing decisions at the FDIC.

The clerk announced roll-call responses for named members during each nomination vote; several senators were recorded voting by proxy. After the Hill vote the chairman asked whether any members wished to make statements; none did, and the executive session was adjourned.

What happens next: The nominations have been ordered reported favorably and will be considered by the full Senate. The committee record includes the ranking member’s objections about FDIC oversight and staffing; the ranking member asked for the independent reports to be made available to Congress but the committee did not resolve that request during the session.

— Reporting by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs executive session; roll-call tallies and named votes are drawn from the committee clerk’s announcements in the session transcript.