S. HRG. 111–173 NOMINATIONS OF: RONALD SIMS, FRED P. HOCHBERG, HELEN R. KANOVSKY, DAVID H. STEVENS, PETER KOVAR, JOHN D. TRASVIN˜A, AND DAVID S. COHEN HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON NOMINATIONS OF: RONALD SIMS, OF WASHINGTON, TO BE DEPUTY SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FRED P. HOCHBERG, OF NEW YORK, TO BE PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN, EXPORT-IMPORT BANK HELEN R. KANOVSKY, OF MARYLAND, TO BE GENERAL COUNSEL, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DAVID H. STEVENS, OF VIRGINIA, TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOUSING–FEDERAL HOUSING COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT PETER KOVAR, OF MARYLAND, TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONGRESSIONAL AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT JOHN D. TRASVIN˜ A, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DAVID S. COHEN, OF MARYLAND, TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR TERRORIST FINANCING, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY APRIL 23, 2009 Printed for the use of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs ( Available at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/senate05sh.html U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 53–677 PDF WASHINGTON : 2009 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut, Chairman TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama JACK REED, Rhode Island ROBERT F. BENNETT, Utah CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York JIM BUNNING, Kentucky EVAN BAYH, Indiana MIKE CRAPO, Idaho ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey MEL MARTINEZ, Florida DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii BOB CORKER, Tennessee SHERROD BROWN, Ohio JIM DEMINT, South Carolina JON TESTER, Montana DAVID VITTER, Louisiana HERB KOHL, Wisconsin MIKE JOHANNS, Nebraska MARK R. WARNER, Virginia KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon MICHAEL F. BENNET, Colorado COLIN MCGINNIS, Acting Staff Director WILLIAM D. DUHNKE, Republican Staff Director AMY FRIEND, Chief Counsel JOE HEPP, Professional Staff Member NEAL ORRINGER, Professional Staff Member MARK F. OESTERLE, Republican Chief Counsel DAWN RATLIFF, Chief Clerk DEVIN HARTLEY, Hearing Clerk SHELVIN SIMMONS, IT Director JIM CROWELL, Editor (II) CONTENTS THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2009 Page Opening statement of Chairman Dodd .................................................................. 1 Opening statements, comments, or prepared statements of: Senator Shelby .................................................................................................. 13 Senator Schumer Introduction of Nominee Fred P. Hochberg ............................................ 9 Senator Johanns ............................................................................................... 14 Senator Merkley ............................................................................................... 14 Senator Reed ..................................................................................................... 19 Senator Warner Introduction of Nominee David H. Stevens ............................................. 12 WITNESSES Patty Murray, a U.S. Senator from the State of Washington .............................. 5 Maria Cantwell, a U.S. Senator from the State of Washington .......................... 7 Barney Frank, a U.S. Representative from the State of Massachusetts ............ 8 Adam B. Schiff, a U.S. Representative from the State of California .................. 11 NOMINEES Ronald Sims, of Washington, to be Deputy Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development ...................................................................................... 16 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 28 Biographical sketch of nominee ....................................................................... 29 Response to written questions of: Senator Dodd ............................................................................................. 111 Senator Shelby ........................................................................................... 113 Senator Menendez ..................................................................................... 115 Senator Bennett ........................................................................................ 117 Senator Crapo ............................................................................................ 118 Senator Vitter ............................................................................................ 119 Fred P. Hochberg, of New York, to be President and Chairman, Export- Import Bank ......................................................................................................... 18 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 44 Biographical sketch of nominee ....................................................................... 45 Response to written questions of: Senator Dodd ............................................................................................. 121 Senator Shelby ........................................................................................... 122 Senator Bunning ....................................................................................... 123 Helen R. Kanovsky, of Maryland, to be General Counsel, Department of Housing and Urban Development ....................................................................... 20 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 60 Biographical sketch of nominee ....................................................................... 62 Response to written questions of: Senator Shelby ........................................................................................... 124 Senator Crapo ............................................................................................ 125 (III) IV Page David H. Stevens, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary for Housing–Federal Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing and Urban Development .... 22 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 69 Biographical sketch of nominee ....................................................................... 71 Response to written questions of: Senator Dodd ............................................................................................. 126 Senator Shelby ........................................................................................... 128 Senator Bayh ............................................................................................. 129 Senator Crapo ............................................................................................ 130 Senator Corker .......................................................................................... 132 Senator Vitter ............................................................................................ 132 Peter Kovar, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Housing and Urban Development ......................................................................................................... 23 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 80 Biographical sketch of nominee ....................................................................... 82 Response to written questions of: Senator Dodd ............................................................................................. 134 Senator Shelby ........................................................................................... 135 John D. Trasvin˜ a, of California, to be Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Department of Housing and Urban Development .... 25 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 92 Biographical sketch of nominee ....................................................................... 94 Response to written questions of: Senator Dodd ............................................................................................. 135 Senator Menendez ..................................................................................... 138 Senator Vitter ............................................................................................ 144 David S. Cohen, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing, Department of the Treasury ............................................................. 26 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 103 Biographical sketch of nominee ....................................................................... 104 Response to written questions of: Senator Dodd ............................................................................................. 145 Senator Shelby ........................................................................................... 147 Senator Menendez ..................................................................................... 150 Senator