Congressman Mick Mulvaney, President Trump’s choice for Director at the Office of Management and Budget, has been confirmed.
The Senate voted to confirm 51-49, with only Sen. John McCain breaking with the Republicans to oppose his confirmation.
Senate votes 51-49 to confirm Mick Mulvaney as the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) February 16, 2017
Mulvaney, noted as a very conservative deficit hawk by USA Today, will focus on slashing a national debt that grew wildly out of control under former President Obama. He has suggested that entitlement programs should be on the table.
Via CBS News:
The Senate on Thursday confirmed Rep. Mick Mulvaney to serve as President Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget.
The South Carolina Republican was narrowly confirmed in a 51-49 vote.
This comes a few weeks after he testified at his confirmation hearing where he argued that significant changes needed to be made to entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, putting him at odds with the president who campaigned on preserving those programs. During the hearing, Mulvaney also said that tax increases would be an option under the Trump administration despite Mr. Trump vowing during his election race to cut taxes.
The one Republican vote against, Senator McCain, opposed Mulvaney’s nomination because of his willingness to cut wasteful Pentagon spending.
RedState author ‘streiff’ explains that the Defense Department does not have an issue of underfunding.
In his first address to service members, President Trump vowed that his administration will be “loading it (the military) up with beautiful new planes and beautiful new equipment.”
Spending under Mulvaney will be more responsibly allocated.
Streiff adds, “Mulvaney is one of the few members of Congress who doesn’t believe in free lunches or wish casting as fiscal policy.”
Here is conservative hero Trey Gowdy’s response:
Congratulations to my friend from South Carolina & the new Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney. Full statement ↓ pic.twitter.com/7JMZ3RO0Ty
— Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) February 16, 2017
Comment: Do you approve of a fiscal conservative as Budget Director? Tell us what you think below.
