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Rep. French Hill urges Senate to move on with Kevin Warsh confirmation amid DOJ appeal
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Summary
Rep. French Hill said the Justice Department's probe into a Federal Reserve renovation project is a distraction and urged senators to confirm Kevin Warsh; reporters noted Senator Tom Tillis is withholding his vote until legal issues are resolved and the DOJ is appealing a judge's decision blocking subpoenas.
Rep. French Hill, chair of the House Committee on Financial Services, told a television interviewer he would like to see Kevin Warsh confirmed to the Federal Reserve and called the Justice Department's investigation into a Fed renovation project a distraction from monetary-policy oversight.
"I said back in January that I didn't think Jay Powell had done anything criminal and that it was a distraction to have the DOJ do that investigation," Hill said, arguing the petitions to the court have been rejected and that it is time to "move on" and focus on confirming a new Fed leader.
Tyler Kendall, reporting earlier in the segment, said Senator Tom Tillis is withholding his vote to advance Warsh's nomination until the legal matter is resolved and that a discharge petition or cloture to bypass committee procedure would likely require bipartisan support and a high threshold.
Kendall also noted a recent judge blocked subpoenas in the case and that the Department of Justice is appealing that decision, a development Hill said adds legal uncertainty but should not prevent moving forward on confirmations that affect Treasury-market oversight and monetary policy.
Hill said the House committee and Senate panels can continue oversight into the building matter while proceeding with routine work on monetary policy and bank supervision: "I'd like to see the new chair confirmed and let President Trump have a new partner at the Fed. Let Treasury Secretary Bessette have a new partner in bank supervision and monetary policy."
The exchange ended without a formal vote; Kendall characterized the situation as legally unsettled while Hill pressed for confirmation to restore leadership at the Fed.
