The Senate on Thursday evening confirmed Russell Vought to serve as White House budget director, installing at one of the most powerful federal agencies an architect of Project 2025, the controversial blueprint for President Trump’s second term. The vote was 53–47, along party lines, and came after Democrats exhausted nearly every tool at their disposal to delay his confirmation, calling him the “most dangerous nominee.” Democrats boycotted Mr. Vought’s committee vote last week in protest of President Trump’s now-rescinded federal funding freeze. They then forced Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to hold a rare vote to file cloture on his nomination. After the Senate broke the filibuster along party lines, Democrats held the floor throughout the night, using up all 30 hours of post-cloture debate time. In his confirmation hearing last month, Mr. Vought laid out his vision for what would be his second time at the helm of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). “We have to use taxpayer dollars wisely because inflation driven by irresponsible federal spending taxes Americans twice,” he told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Democrats unsuccessfully sought to receive commitments from him that he would properly use funding appropriated by Congress, pointing to the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which prevents the executive branch from clawing back money approved by lawmakers. “I don’t believe it’s constitutional,” Mr. Vought said of the Nixon-era law. “The president ran on that view. That’s his view, and I agree with it.” “I am astonished and aghast that someone in this responsible of a position would in effect say that the president is above the law,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) shot back. #senate #russellvought #omb #cspan - @cspanofficial