President Clinton has made an outstanding choice in nominating my friend and colleague Andrew Cuomo as the next Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

I know Andrew Cuomo will serve both the President and the American people with great energy, commitment and effectiveness. He will help the President make life better for Americans from the smallest towns to our largest cities.

From the founding of his own pioneering group in 1986 to help homeless Americans to his four years of service as an Assistant Secretary at HUD, Andrew has proven himself to be a national leader in housing and urban issues. I congratulate him.

I congratulate Aida Alvarez, director of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight at HUD, on her selection by the President as Director of the Small Business Administration and as the first Latina chosen to serve in the Cabinet.

Aida Alvarez has accomplished a great deal at HUD and will do great things at the SBA.

I am proud and honored that the President has found these two talented people within HUD.