The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) Committee and Budget Committees postponed scheduled business meetings Wednesday, where they would vote on Neera Tanden, President Biden’s choice to become the director of the Office of Management and Budget.
An official message that the Teeth markup had been delayed went to the HSGAC website. A well-known source told Fox News that “Teeth’s budget mark-up is being delayed,” shortly before the Budgets Committee issued its official message.
Tanden’s nomination stood on shaky ground ahead of the scheduled committee votes after Senator Joe Manchin, DW.Va., and many Republicans said they would oppose her nomination last week. Now it is further questioned by the cancellation of the two committee votes.
Neera Tanden, President Joe Biden’s nominee for director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), appears before a Senate committee on the budget hearing on Capitol Hill, Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik, Swimming Pool)
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“I have carefully studied Neera Tanden’s public statements and tweets addressed personally to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, from Senator Sanders to Senator McConnell and others,” said Manchin. “I believe her openly biased statements will have a poisonous and damaging impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget.”
Fox News asked the White House if it had withdrawn Tanden’s nomination. White House press officer Jen Psaki responded with a praising statement for Tanden.
“Neera Tanden is a leading policy expert, bringing critical qualifications to the fore in this time of unprecedented crisis,” said Psaki. She also has an important perspective and values, and understands firsthand the powerful difference policies can make in the lives of people living through difficult times. She has a broad spectrum of support, ranging from the US Chamber of Commerce to unions. , and has a strong record of partnership with both sides that we expect will grow in President Biden’s cabinet as the first South Asian woman to lead OMB. ”
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Fox News did not immediately receive responses to requests for comment from Sens’s offices. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Gary Peters, D-Mich., The ranking member and chairman of HSGAC for comment. The office of moderate senator Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., Who sits at the HSGAC, also did not immediately respond.
Senator Lisa Murkowski’s R-Alaska office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether she had made a decision on how to vote on the Teeth nomination. Murkowski is considered one of the last Republicans to vote for Tanden, canceling Manchin’s defection and confirming Tanden.
This is a story in progress. Please check again for updates.
Fox News’ Jason Donner contributed to this report.