The Senate confirmed former NFL veteran and Texas state legislator Scott Turner to lead President Donald Trump’s Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department on Wednesday.
Senators voted 55 to 44 in favor of Turner’s confirmation. Turner becomes Trump’s 12th Cabinet nominee to win confirmation, outpacing the confirmation schedules of the Biden administration and first Trump administration. (RELATED: Former DNC Official Says He Didn’t Find ‘A Single’ Dem At Major Meeting Who Wants Harris To ‘Run Again’ In 2028)
Survive and advance. 11 cabinet confirmations down! 🇺🇸💪
Next steps today— confirm Eric Scott Turner to be @HUDgov Secretary, and a procedural vote to advance @russvought to be Director of OMB. Dems will throw a fit on Russ. Again—it won’t matter, we have the votes to confirm.
— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) February 5, 2025
Turner will helm HUD during a time of rising housing costs and homelessness partially attributable to the massive influx of illegal migrants into the United States during the Biden administration. The HUD secretary-designate pledged to return the agency to its core mission of supporting affordable housing and combatting homelessness during his confirmation hearing on Jan. 16 before the Senate Banking Committee.
“HUD’s mission is to create strong and sustainable communities and support quality affordable homes — serving the most vulnerable of our nation,” Turner told senators during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee on Jan. 16. “Yet, as we sit here, we have a housing crisis in our country, where American people and families are struggling every day. HUD is failing at its most basic mission.”
“Poverty has no party. Homelessness has no party. It doesn’t see red or blue,” Turner continued. “My call is to be a steward, a champion, an ambassador. I want to lift up the stories of all the forgotten Americans.”
Senate Republicans widely praised Trump’s decision to tap Turner to lead HUD, citing the former NFL veteran’s experience leading the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during the first Trump administration.
“Since he hung up his cleats, Scott Turner has spent his time working to make a difference,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “It was Scott Turner who oversaw this [Opportunity Zone] program for the White House, visiting Opportunity Zones across the country in an effort to revitalize America’s distressed communities. And I’m confident he will bring that same concern for distressed areas to his work as secretary.”
Turner cleared the Senate Banking Committee along party lines during a vote of 13-11 on Jan. 23. He overcame Senate Democrats’ filibuster of his nomination during a vote of 55-45 Monday evening. Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Peter Welch of Vermont joined Republicans to vote in Turner’s favor.
The Senate is slated to vote on Russ Vought’s nomination to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) next. Vought previously served as OMB director during the first Trump administration.
Senate Democrats fiercely oppose Vought’s nomination and are not expected to agree to a time agreement to expedite his confirmation vote.
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