That decision prompted Democrats in the House of Representatives to launch a impeachment investigation into whether President Donald Trump used the aid to win political favors. But Vought has argued that Ukraine’s freezing of aid was part of a broader review of foreign aid, It is not a quid pro quo.
Vought took command of the White House budget office during the 35-day government shutdown in January 2019, after Trump chose former OMB chief Mick Mulvaney as his acting chief of staff.
Senate Budget President Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) Praised Vought’s confirmation in a statement, adding that his “role will be crucial in helping the federal government function in what is shaping up to be a very budgetary environment. challenging that requires the attention of all of us. “
“I look forward to working with him to help put our nation on a better fiscal path,” said Enzi, who will retire after this year.
But Vought so far has pushed unsuccessfully unpopular cuts to curb federal spending, despite the 2016 president’s campaign promise to balance the federal budget.
Even before the pandemic, the nation’s budget gap widened after the administration and Congress adopted the Republican tax renewal in 2017 and a two-year budget deal last summer. The federal deficit is now on track to increase to nearly $ 4 trillion this year after Congress mounted a colossal response to the coronavirus outbreak earlier this year.
Vought has also repeatedly sparked Democrats’ ire for hindering demands for congressional oversight and subpoenas for testimony and information.
During a House Budget Committee hearing in February, President John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) Vought asked to promise transparency in how OMB manipulates federal dollars, in addition to the promise that OMB will adhere to federal budget laws.
“Now, when American lives and livelihoods depend on the effectiveness of the federal government and the proper implementation of fiscal policy, it is critical that Director Vought honor his commitments,” Yarmuth said in a statement Monday. “I will keep my promise to keep his word.”
