Senate Amendment to Block Pulte as Acting DNI Fails on 49-49 Tie Vote

Three Republican senators joined Democrats on Thursday in supporting an amendment that would have prevented Bill Pulte from serving as acting director of national intelligence while he remains director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The amendment, offered by Sen. ), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, failed on a 49-49 vote.

The measure would have barred any Senate-confirmed head of another federal agency from performing the DNI role in an acting capacity. Sens. ), Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) were the only Republicans to vote for it.

Cassidy told The Hill earlier this week that Pulte is not qualified. “The best I can tell you is he’s not qualified but I don’t know anything about him other than that,” he said. Collins, a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, questioned whether Pulte has a security clearance.

“I do not know Mr. Pulte at all. I don’t know whether he has any intelligence or military background. I don’t even know whether he has a security clearance,” she said Tuesday. Murkowski said she was unaware of anything in Pulte’s background that would qualify him to oversee the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies.

“I’m not familiar that there is anything in his background that would qualify [him] as one who would be the head of our national intelligence. I know what he has been doing in the housing sector, I’m not so familiar with why the president would have selected him,” she said. Pulte is the heir to the founders of Pulte Homes.

President Trump selected him to serve as his principal adviser on national security matters. Pulte has used his position at the FHFA to obtain mortgage information supporting criminal allegations against Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, the first Black woman appointed to the board of governors, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

James filed a $250 million lawsuit against Trump, his children and the Trump Organization alleging fraud.

Senate Democrats have threatened to block an extension of enhanced surveillance authority under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in protest of Pulte’s temporary DNI role. Warner called the appointment “insulting” to the intelligence agencies. That's insane,” he said.

Former Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that nominees for the position must meet statutory national security experience requirements. “Very few Senate-confirmable positions come with statutory eligibility requirements. There are good reasons why the Director of National Intelligence is one of them.

Anyone performing this role of such immense public trust must have the extensive national security experience required by statute, and no nominee who falls short of this requirement will earn my vote,” McConnell said in a statement.