DDM nominee clears Senate committee

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved the nomination of McKinsey executive Beth Cobert for the post of deputy director for management in the Office of Management and Budget.

She was approved by voice vote Oct. 7.

The next step is confirmation by the full Senate.  Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has said there would be no votes on executive branch nominees until the partial government shutdown is over, although senators confirmed two district court nominees Oct. 7.

Federal CIO Steve VanRoekel is acting DDM. The job has been without a Senate-confirmed occupant since Jeffrey Zients was tapped to be acting director of OMB in 2012.

The DDM is central to the day-to-day operation of the federal government, with oversight of financial management, procurement, IT, regulators and activities of inspectors general. "There's not an activity that doesn't fall under the DDM," former OMB senior advisor Jonathan Bruel told FCW for an Aug. 2013 article on the post.