The Senate Budget Committee on Thursday advanced Russell Vought’s nomination to be President Donald Trump’s budget chief.
The panel voted 11-0 to move Vought’s nomination to be Office of Management and Budget director to the Senate floor for confirmation, Politico reported.
Only Republicans voted. Democrats boycotted the panel’s meeting.
Little more than an hour before the noon meeting, Democrats on the committee posted on X that they would boycott the vote.
“Budget Committee Democrats are protesting the committee vote on Russell Vought’s nomination to OMB to send a clear message: Vought is dangerously unfit for office,” ranking member Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., posted alongside video of Democrats criticizing Vought.
On Wednesday, Democrats pressed Vought on what they said were Trump’s “illegal” executive orders pausing certain funding under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The committee’s Democrats had called for a delay in the proceedings to confirm Vought.
“The Senate Budget Committee will proceed with Mr. Vought’s nomination as scheduled,” the spokesperson for the committee’s Republican chair, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement Tuesday.
OMB acting Director Matthew J. Vaeth said that the funding pause was meant to give time to determine if the programs fall in line with Trump’s executive orders on foreign aid and climate change as well as the reversal of “woke gender ideology” and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
On Wednesday, a White House spokesperson said the federal funding freeze remains in effect despite media reports it had been rescinded.
Vought also drew anger from Democrats for saying the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
Reuters contributed to this story.
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