Federal Government Policy and Business

Senate Confirms Acting OMB Chief to Be Permanent Director

Government Executive: Late Monday afternoon, the Senate voted 51-45, along party lines, to confirm acting Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to fill the position permanently.

Vought was the OMB deputy director from early in the Trump administration and then took over as acting OMB head in January 2019 when Mick Mulvaney left to become the president’s acting chief of staff. President Trump announced his intent to nominate Vought as the permanent OMB director on March 18. Vought has been able to remain as acting director due to two exceptions under the 1998 Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which typically precludes acting officials from remaining in their roles once they are formally nominated.

Read article