Mulvaney nomination for OMB chief moves to full Senate

Rep. Mick Mulvaney's (R-SC) nomination to be the next chief of the White House Office of Management and Budget advanced out of two committees today and will move to the full Senate.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-7 along party lines to report Mulvaney's nomination to the Senate "without recommendation."

The Senate Budget Committee voted 12-11 along party lines to "favorably" report Mulvaney's nomination to the Senate.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who sits on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, indicated that he still had concerns about Mulvaney's suitability for the post and was uncertain if he would support the nomination on the floor. McCain harshly criticized Mulvaney, a famous deficit hawk and Tea Party supporter, during his Jan. 24 confirmation hearing for his past efforts to cut military spending and withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

"I supported today's procedural vote in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee because I believe the full Senate should have the opportunity to consider Congressman Mulvaney's nomination to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget," McCain said during today's committee hearing. "President Trump has correctly stated that repealing the defense sequester and rebuilding our military are top priorities. Given Congressman Mulvaney's record on defense spending, I continue to have concerns about his nomination to be OMB Director. However, I will continue to weigh all the facts as the Senate considers Congressman Mulvaney's nomination."

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), the committee's ranking Democrat, also criticized Mulvaney for his past positions on military spending as well as his past statements in support of government shutdowns.

"I don't think it's a good idea to have somebody running the Office of Management and Budget who thinks it's a good idea to default on our obligations," she said. "I don't think it's ever a good idea to have somebody running the Office of Management and Budget who has demonstrated a willingness to not fund our military to the extent that we must fund it in order to protect our nation."

Mulvaney, however, has said he supports increased defense spending, but said he would advocate paying for it with cuts to non-defense discretionary spending. Analysts say such a stance amounts to a defense cut because Democrats will refuse to cooperate. 

Mulvaney has also said he will seek to eliminate the Defense Department's Overseas Contingency Operations account and will, "at the very least," push to ensure that "true 'base' budget expenditures are reflected in the top line defense discretionary numbers, and that only true war-related costs are contained in OCO."

But Mulvaney has acknowledged that Trump may ultimately settle on a different policy, and during his confirmation hearing said: "I will be doing whatever the president asks me to do."