Long-Awaited Treasury Nomination

Though word of his impending appointment surfaced back in January, John D. "Jerry" Hawke was finally nominated Friday as Treasury under secretary of domestic finance.

The veteran banking lawyer has been working at the department for a month as an adviser to Secretary Robert Rubin.

Mr. Hawke's road back into government was blocked temporarily by advocacy groups that questioned his commitment to enforcing the Community Reinvestment Act. Still, he is expected to win Senate confirmation with the support of those same groups.

"He's convinced us that his position is quite different," said John Taylor, president of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. "We're willing to give a person a chance.".

Mr. Hawke started his legal in 1962 with Arnold & Porter here. He made his name in banking as general counsel at the Federal Reserve Board from 1975 to 1978.

As Treasury's No. 3 man, Mr. Hawke will have a big say in the way problems facing the thrift industry's insurance fund are solved.

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