Trump OMB nominee OK'd by Budget panel, ready for floor vote
WASHINGTON _ The Senate Budget Committee on Thursday approved the nomination of Russell Vought to be director of the Office of Management and Budget, amid recriminations from Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., that backing Vought was an abdication of responsibility.
Vought earlier this week won party-line approval by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which shares jurisdiction, likely assuring his confirmation by the full Senate in another probable party-line vote.
The Budget Committee voted 11-10 to advance Vought, with all 11 Republicans supporting, and all 10 Democrats opposed. Just two senators were in person and eight voted by proxy. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was present for the vote along with Van Hollen.
Van Hollen had questioned Vought during a confirmation hearing last week over OMB's actions in temporarily withholding foreign aid to Ukraine at President Donald Trump's direction. OMB eventually released the aid, but the Government Accountability Office, a legislative agency, concluded the delay violated a 1974 law that bars the president from withholding appropriated money except under certain circumstances.
Van Hollen picked up on that theme Thursday, noting that Vought was acting director of OMB when the hold occurred last year. Vought is the Senate-confirmed deputy director of OMB and has served as acting director since January 2019.
"It seems to be a metaphor for this administration that they would submit to this Senate as their nominee to head OMB the person who our congressional watchdog concluded violated the law," Van Hollen said. "And it will be a metaphor for this Congress abdicating its responsibilities with respect to the executive branch if we approve the nomination of the person found to have violated the law that Congress enacted to protect our powers of the purse."
Van Hollen also said the GAO indicated Vought "refused to cooperate in their investigation, covered up documents."
_CQ-Roll Call
