The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and Senate Budget Committee on Wednesday gave their stamps of approval for Shalanda Young to be deputy director of the White House Office and Management and Budget.
The Homeland Security panel advanced Young's nomination on a 7-6 vote along party lines in the morning, while the Budget panel approved her on a more bipartisan basis in a 14-8 vote in the afternoon.
Her nomination for the No. 2 budget post comes amid growing speculation that she may soon get the top position following the withdrawal of President Biden's initial pick to lead the OMB, Neera Tanden.
Top Democratic leaders in the House, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (Conn.) and the Congressional Black Caucus, are throwing their support behind Young for the OMB director job.
Biden has yet to announce his pick, and other candidates such as former National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling are reportedly under consideration. The White House has said it will appoint Young as acting OMB director as an interim step if she's confirmed for the deputy role.
The partisan split in the Wednesday-morning HSGAC vote came as somewhat of a surprise after Young received largely glowing reviews from Republicans who had worked with her as staff director for the House Appropriations Committee.
Some GOP senators said they had intended to vote for Young but were "troubled" by her written answer on support for repealing the Hyde Amendment, which bars federal funds from being used for abortions.
"This is one where our country is so deeply divided on abortion, where we've been able to come together and decide, at a minimum, let's not tell people with a deep view based on their conscience on this, that they have to pay taxpayer funds for abortion," said Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
"I'm reluctantly going to vote 'no,'" he said.
Committee Chairman Gary Peters (D-Mich.) said the decision by Republicans was confusing given that Young had committed to following current law, including the Hyde Amendment.
