Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget, faced tough questions from Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee Wednesday.
Vought led the OMB in the first Trump administration and was one of the main contributors to Heritage Foundation’s controversial Project 2025 blueprint for conservative rule. He’s expected to be confirmed by Republicans — “I think all of us are going to vote for you,” Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham told Vought on Wednesday — but even some in the GOP have expressed concern about efforts to undermine congressional power of the purse.
Democrats homed in on the issue. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, the top Democrat on the committee, asked about executive orders recently issued by Trump that “pause the disbursement of funds” provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, two major pieces of legislation signed into law by former President Joe Biden. Merkley wanted to know if the pause amounted to an impoundment, which he said would be “illegal.” Vought said they were “programmatic delays,” not impoundments.
As Merkley and other Democrats noted, Vought attempted to hold back funds appropriated by Congress during the first Trump administration and has argued that the president has unilateral authority to impound funds. Vought told lawmakers that the administration will “faithfully uphold the law,” but also said that Trump “ran on the notion that the Impoundment Control Act is unconstitutional. I agree with that.”
Vought added that Trump will be exploring “the parameters of the law with regard to the Impoundment Control Act,” the 1974 law that prevents presidents from not spending money appropriated by Congress.
Merkley pushed back against Vought’s assertion of executive power. “Congress makes the law, not the president,” he said. “The fact that you continue to advocate for this impoundment strategy, that is completely in violation of our Constitution.”
Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia asked Vought about a budget proposal he produced at a conservative think tank that referred to ending “woke and weaponized government,” an effort that included a proposal to make deep cuts in social programs including Medicaid and SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “Is providing nutrition assistance to low-income kids ‘woke and weaponized?'” Kaine asked. Vought did not answer directly.
GOP support: Republican committee members took a very different approach, effusively praising the nominee. “I do not know a single person who knows more about the federal budget than you do,” Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana told Vought.
“Bottom line is, I think you’re qualified for the job. I know why he picked you,” Graham said. “And again, we just had an election. And when you win, you get to pick people. And I’m glad he picked you.”