President Biden is after two Cabinet choices facing difficult battles – including Neera Tanden, his nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget, and Xavier Becerra, his choice for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services – as an increasing number of senators promised to oppose their confirmations.
Tanden’s confirmation appears to be the most threatened after several polling senators – including at least one Democrat – announced plans to vote against his confirmation. The former president of the liberal Center for American Progress was repeatedly criticized during her confirmation hearing, while Republicans pointed to the hostile tweets she posted against several lawmakers – many of whom she deleted last year.
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During that hearing, Senator Ron Portman, R-Ohio, gave examples of “some of the thousands of negative public statements” that Tanden made. This included her calling Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, “the worst” and Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., A “fraud”, saying “vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz” and referring to if they- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as “Moscow Mitch” and “Voldemort”, referring to the Harry Potter villain.
Portman said that even after Tanden deleted tweets, there were still nine pages of posts about Cruz that were still up.
“I wonder, specifically, how do you plan to repair fences and build relationships with members of Congress that you attacked through your public statements?” Asked Portman.
President Biden is next to Xavier Becerra, Neera Tanden amid arduous confirmation battles (images from Getty)
“I recognize the concern,” replied Tanden. “I deeply regret and apologize for my language – part of my previous language. I recognize that this function is bipartisan and I know that I need to win the confidence of senators across the board. I will work very aggressively to address this concern.”
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Tanden said he hopes to work “in a bipartisan and non-partisan way”, although he acknowledges that “it is up to me to prove this to this committee and the members”.
But after the hearing, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, DW.V., said he would oppose his nomination, citing his tweets and saying that his “openly partisan statements will have a toxic and damaging impact on the important working relationship between members Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget. “
“For that reason, I cannot support your nomination,” said Manchin.
Manchin’s opposition means that Tanden will need Republican support. But that effort to court a Republican was hampered when Collins also said on Monday that he would vote against Tanden – giving another blow to his confirmation.
“Congress must be able to trust the OMB director to make numerous decisions impartially, in keeping with the letter of the law and the intention of Congress,” Collins said in a statement on Monday. “Neera Tanden has no experience or temperament to lead this critical agency.”
But the White House is still standing behind it, promising not to withdraw its nomination, although it is unclear how Tanden will gather enough votes.
“The president nominated her because he thought she would be stellar,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday, looking at her experience.
When asked if they still thought confirmation was possible, Psaki said, “We believe.”
Meanwhile, another choice by Biden is facing further scrutiny, with Becerra preparing for his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, while Republicans signal plans to focus on trying to torpedo his nomination. But he may also have problems with Democrats: Manchin’s office says he has yet to decide whether to support Becerra.
More than 100 conservatives sent a memo to Republican members of Congress outlining their concerns about Becerra’s nomination, calling him an “extremist” who would follow a liberal agenda if confirmed.
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“Becerra has not shown even the judgment, character or respect for human life necessary to lead the agency with such an influence on the fundamental rights of all Americans,” they continued. “Under his supervision, we believe that HHS – an agency that must protect human life, dignity and enshrine the values of religious freedom – would be turned into weapons for party and destructive purposes.”
They added: “For all these reasons, we urge the Senate to firmly reject its confirmation.”
Conservative groups have also contested the fact that Becerra led the HHS amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying he “has no health experience” and, instead, that a doctor or public health specialist should lead the department.
Biden transition spokesman Andrew Bates defended Becerra, saying he has “decades of experience in health policy, has worked with Republicans and Democrats to expand access to COVID treatments and address opioid makers, while leading the largest state department of justice in the country. “
Bates added that Becerra also has a “strong track record of reducing costs for patients”.
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“This is why President Biden chose this tested and qualified leader to be at the forefront of responding to the pandemic and to help reduce drug prices,” said Bates. “We are looking forward to your hearings and confirmation votes.”
And Psaki on Monday, during his briefing, said Becerra “helped to play a role in passing the Affordable Care Act” and “brings decades of experience in health policy to the table”.
Psaki cited Becerra’s work as California’s attorney general, saying he “fought alongside his Republican colleagues to expand access to COVID treatments”.
Despite conservative opposition, Biden’s transition team told Fox News that Becerra is looking forward to “working in good faith with members of both parties in Congress.”
Meanwhile, Biden’s choice of attorney general, Judge Merrick Garland, also appeared this week for his confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Garland was pressured into controversial issues, but committee lawmakers, including Republicans, indicated he would likely be confirmed.
Fox News Megan Henney, Brittany De Lea and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.