Will Mulvaney Drop His Anti-Government Extremism at OMB?
Will Mulvaney Drop His Anti-Government Extremism at OMB?
Statement of Lisa Gilbert, Director, Public Citizen’s Congress Watch Division
Note: Today, the U.S. Senate voted to approve President Donald Trump’s nominee to direct the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.). The Coalition for Sensible Safeguards and 52 groups opposed the nomination. OMB coordinates the president’s legislative proposals and polices, proposes and implements the federal budget, oversees executive branch departments and agencies as well as federal procurement, manages the regulatory process, implements executive orders and much more.
Anti-government extremism has no place at OMB. As a South Carolina congressman, Mulvaney was a proud ringleader of government shutdowns and default threats and an outspoken advocate for steep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. But as he repeatedly acknowledged in his confirmation hearings, those views are fundamentally incompatible with his new role as White House budget director. Mulvaney now must demonstrate that he can set aside his past as a radical and practice responsible governance.
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