The Senate voted 63-37 on Tuesday to confirm Shalanda Young as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Young is expected to be appointed as acting OMB director soon, as President Biden awaits a replacement nominee for Neera Tanden, who withdrew her nomination due to Senate opposition regarding past online statements criticizing leaders in Washington on both sides of the aisle.
The White House will continue searching for a candidate to hold the top spot as budget director amid Young’s confirmation, Reuters reported.
Earlier this month, White House chief of staff Ron Klain called Young a “very serious candidate” for her recently confirmed position.
She will likely play an important role in crafting Biden’s first budget as president.
The Senate confirmed the nomination of Shalanda D. Young, of Louisiana, to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget by a vote of 63-37.
— Senate Periodicals (@SenatePPG) March 23, 2021
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT SHALANDA YOUNG, A TOP CANDIDATE FOR BIDEN BUDGET DIRECTOR NOMINATION
Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty posted on Twitter after the vote, saying, “Now, let’s make [Young] OMB Director!”
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards also congratulated Young on Tuesday, saying, “We are proud to have a Louisianan in such an important role and know that she will do a tremendous job.”
Young, a former House staffer, spent years in various Appropriations Committee positions and was promoted to staff director in 2017. During her time in that role, she managed about 90 staff members and oversaw some $1.4 trillion in discretionary federal spending.
While Young received some bipartisan support for her confirmation vote, several Republicans did not vote in her favor due to a response she wrote about the Hyde Amendment, which bars federal funding for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or if the mother’s life is in danger.
Young wrote, “eliminating the Hyde Amendment is a matter of economic and racial justice because it most significantly impacts Medicaid recipients, who are low-income and more likely to be women of color.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Despite some disagreements from GOP members surrounding her views on federal appropriations, one Democratic strategist called Young’s nomination a “slam dunk” after Tanden withdrew from her nomination for the OMB director position.
