By Jeff Mason
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden will nominate a new leader for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the White House said on Monday, as Secretary Marcia Fudge announced her retirement after decades of public service.
Biden, in a separate statement earlier on Monday, praised Fudge's work to help lower housing costs and boost supply, adding that Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman will serve as acting chief.
Biden did not cite a reason for the departure of Fudge, the third member of his Cabinet to leave since he took office in 2021. In an interview with USA Today, Fudge said it was time to retire after decades of public service.
"It's time to go home," she told the news outlet, citing nearly 50 years of public service. "I do believe strongly that I have done just about everything I could do at HUD for this administration as we go into this crazy, silly season of an election."
Biden's Labor Secretary Marty Walsh left in March 2023 to lead the National Hockey League Players Association, and his chief of staff Ron Klain departed one month earlier.
White House spokeswoman Olivia Dalton did not answer questions about why Fudge was leaving, but told reporters Biden would name a replacement. Fudge will depart March 22, USA Today reported.
Biden's nominee for the Labor Department is still serving in an acting capacity with no sign of movement in the Senate, which must vote to approve Cabinet nominees.
The president has sought to make his work to shore up the U.S. economy, including housing, a cornerstone of his domestic agenda as he seeks reelection. On Monday, he praised efforts by Fudge, a former mayor and U.S. lawmaker.
"I’m grateful for all of her contributions toward a housing system that works for all Americans," Biden said.