Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee will boycott the panel's vote on budget chief nominee Russell Vought, ranking member Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said Thursday.
President Donald Trump nominated Vought to be director of the Office of Management and Budget.
On Wednesday, Democrats pressed Vought on what they said were Trump’s "illegal" executive orders pausing certain funding under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The panel was set to meet at 12 p.m. Thursday to consider Vought's nomination.
"Budget Committee Democrats are boycotting today's committee vote on Russell Vought's nomination to OMB. We will not vote for someone so clearly unfit for office," Merkley posted Thursday morning on X.
The committee’s Democrats had called for a delay in the proceedings to confirm Vought.
"The Senate Budget Committee will proceed with Mr. Vought’s nomination as scheduled," the spokesperson for the committee's Republican chairman, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement Tuesday.
OMB acting Director Matthew J. Vaeth said that funding pause was meant to give time to determine if the programs fall in line with Trump's executive orders on foreign aid and climate change, as well as the reversal of "woke gender ideology" and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
On Wednesday, a White House spokesperson said the federal funding freeze remains in effect despite media reports it had been rescinded.
Vought also drew anger from Democrats for saying the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
Reuters contributed to this story.
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