Warner on confirmation of Mulvaney as OMB director

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, comments after the Senate voted 51-49 to confirm Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) to serve as the next Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

“I have previously expressed deep concerns with Rep. Mulvaney’s positions on U.S. debt repayment and his support for indiscriminate cuts to the federal budget that target defense spending and our federal workforce. Though I voted against this nomination, I recognize there are areas of agreement where I believe Rep. Mulvaney and I can work together. For instance, he has provided assurances of support for oversight of how the federal government uses and reports financial data as required by the DATA Act, and for pushing for more open and data-driven operations across federal agencies.

“I intend to hold Rep. Mulvaney accountable to American taxpayers and businesses who expect the United States to honor its debt obligations without placing foreign bondholders first in the line. This commitment also requires our next OMB Director to take a responsible approach to budgeting—one that does not support across-the-board cuts that hurt our military and avoid tough but smart budget decisions from lawmakers. These are challenging responsibilities and I am ready to push Rep. Mulvaney to honor them for the benefit of Virginia and the rest of the country.”