Senator Murray Grills OMB Nominee Russ Vought—Slamming Trump Executive Orders to Illegally Withhold Funding for Communities Across America

Murray also calls out Vought's extreme anti-abortion views

***WATCH: Senator Murray questions Russ Vought***

Washington, D.C. - Today-during the Senate Budget Committee's hearing to consider the nomination of Russ Vought to serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Budget Committee, pressed Vought on his vocal support for President Trump flouting federal law and the Constitution and unilaterally withholding funding Congress provided to communities across the country. Senator Murray also pressed Vought on his long and extreme anti-abortion record-and how he would pursue an anti-abortion agenda as OMB Director.

In particular, Senator Murray called out the various Executive Orders President Trump signed on Monday to illegally impound funding that Congress approved to rebuild America's infrastructure, create new, good-paying clean energy jobs, invest in our national security, and more.

"Mr. Vought, I appreciated the opportunity to meet with you last week, but I do continue to have very serious concerns regarding your nomination, starting with your position and record on impoundments," began Senator Murray. "I do not believe what happened in the case of withholding security assistance to Ukraine in 2019 while you were Acting OMB Director was an accident or a misunderstanding, and I fear it actually is a harbinger of what is to come these next four years."

"In fact, on his first day in office, we saw the president order, among other things, what appears to be an illegal deferral of Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and foreign assistance funds," Senator Murray continued.

Senator Murray called out Vought's evasive non-answers in written responses and at a separate hearing last week when pressed on whether he would follow the law and the Constitution and ensure funding that Congress approves makes it to the families, communities, and recipients it approved it for, stating:

"Mr. Vought, your written response when pressed on this that you will follow the advice of the incoming OMB General Counsel, Mark Paoletta-someone who has called the Impoundment Control Act 'a stupid law' and recently tweeted at you to 'impound baby impound' is a bit rich.

"Look, as I said to you at our meeting, Members of Congress-on both sides-must know a deal is a deal. A deal is a deal when we reach a bipartisan agreement on major legislation. Agreements cannot happen, and Congress cannot function without that level of trust. And 'impound baby impound' is not the answer I am looking for."

Senator Murray then again asked Vought: "Will you, if confirmed as Director, faithfully follow the law, the Impoundment Control Act, yes or no?"

Vought again refused to answer the question directly-doubling down on President Trump's plans to flout federal law by impounding funding and reiterating that Trump views the Impoundment Control Act to be unconstitutional. Senator Murray pressed Vought on that point, asking: "Has the impoundment law ever been said to be unconstitutional by a court of law?"

Vought quickly conceded: "Not to my knowledge."

Murray then affirmed: "It has not. So it is the law of the land. I don't care what the president said when he was running-it is the law of the land. So will you follow that law if you are confirmed to this office?"

Vought replied in part: "Senator, the president and his team is going to go through a review with our lawyers, if confirmed, including the Department of Justice, to explore the parameters of the law with regard to the Impoundment Control Act. He hasn't developed a strategy that he's announced as it pertains to how he would approach it. There are pieces of legislation that have been proposed by members of this committee."

Senator Murray then interjected: "We propose legislation all the time. If the law in a state is that it's a 15-mile-an-hour speed limit, you can't just say 'Well, I think that's irresponsible and I'm going to challenge it so therefore I don't have to follow it.' The impoundment law is the law. Will you follow it or not? You can say that we're going to look at it and might challenge it in court, but it is the law today. Will you follow that law as director?"

Vought demurred again, citing the president's views on the law.

"You're telling me why you don't agree with the law. But the law is the law. Will you follow the law?"

Once again, Vought refused to answer the question directly. Senator Murray then stated: "We work all the time on appropriations-where I am ranking member-to come to an agreement. Senator Graham, you and I work on agreements, and we decide 'ok yeah, we'll both vote for this. We have an agreement.' How can we ever have an agreement in the future if a president-whoever he or she may be in the future-has say over that, saying: 'Never mind, I'm not going to pay for this part of it.' We have to have agreements. It is the law of the land, and I have to say that your answer to this should be disconcerting to every member of this Committee."

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Senator Murray then pressed Vought on his anti-abortion views and how they would inform his work as OMB Director: "As Director of the powerful Office of Management and Budget, your job will not merely be to execute the president's agenda-it also to advise the president on policy, as you've made clear. So I want to ask about women's health policy. You were a lead author of the anti-abortion Project 2025. You were also caught just a few months ago saying that when it comes to abortion, you 'want to get to abolition.' Now, people should understand that abortion abolition means zero abortions-under any circumstance whatsoever."

"You have said that you don't believe in exceptions for rape, for incest, or the life of the mother," Senator Murray continued. "Is that your position?"

"Senator, my views are not important. I'm here on behalf of the president," Vought replied.

"I'm asking you a question under oath, sir, because you want to be director of an office that will advise the president, and we have a right to know your views," Senator Murray said.

Vought again refused to speak to his own views and how he would advise the president on abortion policy.

Senator Murray interjected: "You don't need to say anything else. My time is up-it's very clear what your stance is on this. People in this country, women and men alike, should know that."

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Senator Murray has repeatedly warned of Vought's plans to rip health care away from Americans and gut funding for families while slashing taxes for billionaires, his record of and support for illegally impounding funding, his efforts to empower Trump to fire civil servants who refuse to do his bidding, and his extreme views on abortion, essential checks and balances, and more.

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