Democrats Boycott Trump Nominee Vote, But It Passed Anyway
The Democrats had a showy tantrum on Thursday, but Republicans got their business done regardless.
The Senate Budget Committee voted 11-0 to send the nomination of Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget to the full Senate, according to The Hill.
Democrats, who found time to hold a media event denouncing Vought, boycotted the committee meeting.
The Democratic boycott was linked in part to their objections to the nominee and also to anger over an OMB memo earlier this week that proposed to freeze grant funding, pending a review of hundreds of federal grant programs.
Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio chastised Democrats who boycotted the vote, calling their action “extraordinarily juvenile.”
“This isn’t ‘High School Musical’ here. You know the serious business, United States Senate, for them to take their toys home and leave the playground is just really ridiculous. You know, these are old men. Honestly, it’s just very, very pathetic to see them doing that,” he said.
Budget Committee Chair Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said he wanted a full Senate vote soon.
“We need to get on with getting the government up and running,” he said, indicating he believed Vought would be confirmed by the full Senate.
Graham was nonplussed about the Democratic boycott, according to Roll Call.
“They’re not here. They chose not to be here. It’s their right not to be here,” he said.
Last week, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which shares jurisdiction over the office with the Budget Committee, approved Vought’s nomination
Chuck Schumer is still pushing the Project 2025 lie. He doesn’t speak positively about anything Donald Trump. Mr. Russell Vought is the former vice president of The Heritage Foundation’s sister organization, Heritage Action for America. However, the Democrats are notorious for… pic.twitter.com/yDMjpYhxte
— GraftedIn (@GraftedIn2) January 27, 2025
Democrats denounced Vought as “clearly unfit for office,” according to The Hill.
As noted by Reuters, Vought stirred opposition among panel members by saying that a 1974 law passed by Congress that claims a president cannot de-obligate funding after Congress has approved it is unconstitutional.
On Monday, an OMB memo said that funding for a long list of federal grant programs would be frozen while the Trump administration reviewed them to determine whether they were in line with the president’s priorities, according to the Associated Press.
On Wednesday, the memo was rescinded, although the White House indicated that it will still scrutinize spending programs.
“The Executive Orders issued by the President on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “This action should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the President’s orders on controlling federal spending.”
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