WASHINGTON ― Democrats are planning to talk through the night on the Senate floor Wednesday in opposition to Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget.
At least three dozen Democratic senators will take part in a 30-hour talkathon to show they are fighting to stop Vought, a key author of Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s far-right policy blueprint for Trump’s second term. Project 2025 calls for drastic cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. It also calls for a freeze on all federal grants, something Trump tried to impose last week but had to rescind because it sure looked illegal and left countless federal programs in disarray.
“He is the architect of the dismantling of our federal government,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said of Vought in a message on social media on his way to the Senate floor, “harming us with Medicaid portals shut down, with Head Start shut down, with agencies illegally stormed and the servers being seized.”
“We’ve got to fight back,” Schatz said. “We’re united, all 47 Democrats, in opposition to Russell Vought’s nomination.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Sen. Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) are among the Democrats helping to lead the effort.
Vought, if confirmed to lead the OMB, will play a key role in overseeing Trump’s policy agenda. As head of the massive White House office, he would oversee the creation of the president’s budget and review federal programs to make sure they comply with the president’s policies.
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No Senate Republican has said they plan to oppose Vought’s confirmation, which puts him on track to be confirmed as soon as Thursday evening. Every GOP senator voted earlier Wednesday to move his nomination forward during a procedural vote. Every Democrat voted no.
Democrats’ talkathon began around 2 p.m. Wednesday, which means they’ll be holding the Senate floor until about 6 p.m. Thursday.
Senate Democrats previously boycotted Vought’s vote in committee, leaving Republicans to advance his nomination on their own.