Biden to bring back Obama’s agriculture sec Tom Vilsack and picks Ohio Rep Marcia Fudge for housing
PRESIDENT-ELECT Joe Biden has chosen Obama's agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack for the same role in his Cabinet, and Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge as his housing and urban development secretary, sources say.
People familiar with the presidential transition told on Tuesday that Biden had picked Vilsack, 69, to lead the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Fudge, 68, to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Biden's decisions come after Fudge made a bid in recent weeks to become the first black female agriculture secretary.
On Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Fudge did not confirm that had selected her for HUD but said it would be an honor to serve the role.
“It is something in probably my wildest dreams I would have never thought about,” Fudge said.
“So if I can help this president in any way possible, I am more than happy to do it.”
Fudge, who chaired the Congressional Black Caucus, is a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
She is a staunch supporter of food stamps, food aid and protections for workers at meatpacking companies.
However, Biden reportedly began focusing on Vilsack and former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp for the USDA position.
Vilsack served as agriculture secretary for eight years during the administration and was Iowa's governor for two terms.
He endorsed Biden in the 2020 presidential race before the Iowa state caucuses and campaigned with the former vice president across the state.
Fudge also campaigned for Biden, and was an early supporter of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
The No. 3 House Democrat, South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, called Fudge a “tremendous candidate” and said he endorsed her for the USDA.
“I don’t know if thats where she will end up, but I feel certain that Marcia Fudge is the kind of person that should be in this Cabinet and I will continue to advocate for her,” Clyburn told CNN earlier on Tuesday.
Fudge is serving her seventh term representing a district that includes portions of Cleveland and Akron and has a population that is majority black.
A Cleveland native, Fudge stayed in her home state for her education, earning her bachelors degree in business from Ohio State University and law degree from Cleveland State University.
Biden, who stated he wants to build a racially diverse Cabinet, earlier on Tuesday chose retired Army General Lloyd Austin as the country’s first black secretary for the Department of Defense.
Last month, Fudge told that blacks have traditionally served the same few roles within the Cabinet, including housing secretary.
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“As this country becomes more and more diverse, we're going to have to stop looking at only certain agencies as those that people like me fit in,” she said at the time.
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“You know, it's always ‘we want to put the black person in Labor or HUD.’”
Biden’s HUD secretary will be tasked with addressing back-rent bills and eviction issues stemming from the downed pandemic economy.