Senate to vote on confirmation of OMB director as Democrats protest

Washington — The Senate is expected to ballot Thursday connected the confirmation of Russ Vought to pb the Office of Management and Budget, aft Democrats held the level overnight to reason his confirmation. 

Vought, 48, served arsenic OMB manager toward the extremity of President Trump's archetypal word aft serving arsenic lawman OMB manager and acting director. He was progressive successful penning the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 and worked arsenic argumentation manager for the 2024 Republican National Committee's level committee.

Overnight, much than a twelve Senate Democrats delivered scathing critiques connected the Senate level of Vought's information successful the aftermath of past week's OMB memo that directed each agencies to temporarily intermission national assistance, sending shockwaves done the governmental sphere and beyond. On Monday, a national justice ordered the Trump medication to temporarily stop its frost connected national assistance. But Democrats person seized connected the move, which added substance to their effort to stall Vought's confirmation.  

"It whitethorn beryllium backmost online, but nary 1 knows whether that's for sure, due to the fact that Russel Vought and Donald Trump deliberation they whitethorn beryllium supra the law," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, said Wednesday night.  

President Donald Trump's nominee for Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought testifies during the Senate Banking Committee information proceeding successful the Dirksen Senate Building connected January 22, 2025 successful Washington, DC.  Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer outlined Wednesday the program to reason Vought's confirmation, saying Democrats would "come to the level and dependable the alarm" connected the Vought into the night. 

"All 47 Democrats are opposed to Vought's nomination," Schumer said. "His confirmation would beryllium a catastrophe for moving families, and a godsend to billionaires who don't wage their just stock successful taxes."

But Vought is expected to person capable enactment among Senate Republicans to beryllium confirmed Thursday night, aft his information precocious Wednesday successful a 53-47 enactment enactment ballot that constricted statement to up to 30 hours, which Democrats were anxious to use. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune connected Wednesday praised Vought, citing his erstwhile acquisition successful the role, saying "there's nary question that helium volition beryllium capable to deed the crushed running."

If confirmed, Vought would oversee the president's projected budget, portion being liable for executing Mr. Trump's docket crossed the national government. Thune said arsenic manager of OMB, Vought volition person the accidental to instrumentality connected "two cardinal economical issues:" addressing "excessive spending" and cutting "burdensome authorities regulations," portion expressing assurance that Vought volition marque the issues priorities. 

Vought appeared earlier the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee past month, on with the Senate Budget Committee, wherever Republicans precocious him unanimously arsenic Democrats boycotted the vote. 

Vought, successful his opening connection to the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee past month, said that "we person to usage payer dollars wisely" due to the fact that "inflation driven by irresponsible national spending taxes Americans twice."

If confirmed, Vought said helium volition proceed to strive to "ensure each determination contributes to a much prosperous aboriginal for each Americans."