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Democratic Leaders Challenge Trump’s Nominee for OMB Director
On Thursday, Senate Democratic leaders expressed strong opposition to President Trump’s nominee to manage federal agencies, Russ Vought. They labeled him as one of the president’s most controversial appointees, and committed to rallying bipartisan support to block his nomination.
The Democratic concerns regarding Vought, the designated director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), are anchored in three key issues: the anticipated cuts to federal programs, potential legal maneuvers to withhold congressionally allocated funds, and his intentions to diminish the protections of merit-based career civil servants. Although they have yet to identify any Republican senators willing to join their efforts against Vought, their coalition-building process is underway.
“This man is an appalling nominee,” stated Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., at a press conference emphasizing Vought’s qualifications. He emphasized the need for Republicans to reassess their support for Vought’s nomination.
Schumer remarked that Vought may pose the most significant risk to the nation among Trump’s nominees.
During his confirmation hearing, Vought faced bipartisan criticism for refusing to commit to adhering to congressional spending laws, indicating instead that he would follow the directives issued by President Trump, who has characterized some existing budget restrictions as unconstitutional. His approach has been seen as adversarial towards the federal workforce, suggesting that reforms are essential to address what he described as a “weaponized” bureaucracy.
“Russ Vought has an unusual degree of gleeful hatred for the federal workforce,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. He referenced a troubling speech by Vought in which he expressed a desire for federal employees to experience “trauma” and be painted as “villains,” questioning, “Who talks like this?”
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who holds the top Democrat position on the Senate Budget Committee, pointed out that the OMB director holds considerable power in enacting Trump’s policies. He described Vought as potentially the most dangerous nominee presented by Trump, emphasizing Vought’s negative sentiment towards federal workers.
Under Trump’s leadership, the administration has reinstated Schedule F, a policy that would remove civil service protections for thousands of federal employees, exposing them to political scrutiny based on loyalty. Vought, a key architect of this initiative, defended it as a “sound policy,” asserting that it ensures the president can fill confidential policy-making roles with individuals aligned with his agenda.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the leading Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, expressed concern over Vought’s reluctance to confirm he would uphold the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which prohibits the executive branch from withholding appropriated funds for policy reasons. Murray warned that appointing Vought to the OMB would disregard legal and constitutional norms. “If you’re not willing to follow our laws, well, then you cannot be trusted to implement our laws,” she stated.
In defense, Vought argued that Trump’s election signified popular support for a flexible approach to fund allocation, suggesting that they would refine their strategy once in office. “We’ll be developing our approach to this issue and strategy once his administration is in office,” he reiterated during a follow-up hearing.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., while acknowledging some concerns with Vought’s positions, still pledged to support his nomination. Paul remarked, “I think if we appropriate something for a cause, that’s where it’s supposed to go.”
Senator Murray pointed out that the potential for a contentious atmosphere exists if the Trump administration opts to withhold funding on issues where they disagree, making bipartisan cooperation increasingly difficult. “How are we ever supposed to reach a bipartisan compromise here if Vought and President Trump are just going to ignore those negotiations?” she asked.
Further emphasizing the contentious nature of the current administration’s fiscal strategies, Schumer indicated that Trump already undermined constitutional norms by issuing an executive order to withhold funds previously authorized by Congress in critical spending bills.
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