With Tanden out, top House Dems push Young for budget director

The top leaders of the House of Representatives want President Joe Biden to nominate a former senior committee staffer to lead the Office of Management and Budget, now that the first choice for the post has withdrawn her nomination.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) are pushing for Appropriations Committee staff director Shalanda Young to be the new nominee for budget director. Young is currently under consideration to serve as deputy director of OMB.

The lawmakers released a joint statement on Wednesday backing Young for the OMB post.

"We have worked closely with her for several years and highly recommend her for her intellect, her deep expertise on the federal budget and her determination to ensure that our budget reflects our values as a nation," they wrote. "Her leadership at the OMB would be historic and would send a strong message that this Administration is eager to work in close coordination with Members of Congress to craft budgets that meet the challenges of our time and can secure broad, bipartisan support."

Biden's initial choice for the position, Neera Tanden, withdrew from consideration on March 2, saying there wasn't a path to confirmation. Her nomination was contentious as Senate Republicans pointed to her combative social media style from her time as director of the liberal think tank, Center for American Progress.

During Young's confirmation hearing for the deputy post at the Senate Budget Committee on Tuesday, held before Tanden's withdrawal was made public, several Republicans said they’d back Young if Biden were to tap her to be the OMB director.

In addition to supervising the creation of the executive branch budget request, the OMB director is charged with oversight of governmentwide technology, management and procurement policy.