The two politicians were confirmed into Biden’s cabinet on Wednesday, March 10th.
What We Know:
- Marcia Fudge was given duties to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development while Michael Regan was appointed to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fudge is an established lawmaker and congresswoman from Ohio and is the first black woman to run the agency in decades. She is the former mayor of Warrensville Heights and a longtime advocate for assistance for the needy. Fudge has valuable experience and has stated that her priority in her new position is protecting the people who have fallen behind on rent or mortgages due to loss of income during the pandemic.
- Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer believes that Fudge has a demanding job ahead of her. Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman, Sherrod Brown, has asserted that parts of Fudge’s district suffered a disproportionate number of foreclosures during her tenure as mayor. In addition to her experience, Fudge is dedicated to the new job stating, “We cannot afford to allow people in the midst of a pandemic to be put in the streets.” Fudge and Regan’s appointments arrive ahead of the Biden administration’s rollout of the American Rescue Plan.
- Last week, Michael Regan became the first Black man to head the EPA. He was confirmed by the Senate in a 66-34 vote, even garnering 16 Republicans. North Carolina senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis and among Regan’s supporters. Regan has been North Carolina’s top environmental regulator since 2017 and has dedicated his professional career to environmental issues. He previously worked for the EPA from 1998-2008.
- Regan is known in his home state for pursuing cleanups of industrial toxins and helping low-income communities significantly impacted by pollution. His current job will require him to rebuild the EPA after having been lead to disarray under the previous administration. For the past four years, Regan has served as secretary North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, where he assisted negotiations with one of the nation’s largest coal ash spill settlements. Additionally, Regan established North Carolina’s first Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board.
The Biden administration continues to take action and prove they are taking steps to ensure Americans are headed in the right direction.
