Page 26 - The Indian EYE 022621

NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline February 26, 2021 | The Indian Eye 26

Haunted by her tweets, neera tanden’s

future hangs in balance

President Joe Biden’s nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget has very

slim chance of getting the position confirmed by the Senate

Our Bureau cause Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.
Va.) has said he will oppose her,
Washington, DC the White House needs to hold

eera Tanden saw both together the rest of the Dem-
of her Senate commit- ocratic caucus and pick up at
Ntee votes postponed least one GOP senator.
Wednesday morning as her Murkowski is viewed as the
nomination to lead the White final up-for-grabs GOP vote,
House budget office nears the after Republican Sens. Susan
brink of collapse and as biparti- Collins (Maine), Mitt Rom-
san appetite to elevate an alter- ney (Utah) and Rob Portman
native nominee grows. (Ohio) all came out in opposi-
The Senate Homeland Secu- tion to her nomination.
rity and Governmental Affairs The OMB is a department
and Budget committees sent out that deals with developing the
notices Wednesday saying that president’s budget and evalu-
their slated votes on Tanden’s ating the projects and expendi-
nomination to become director tures of his department secre-
of the Office of Management taries. If confirmed, Tanden will
and Budget would be delayed. be the first Indian American to
“We are postponing the business serve as director of the OMB.
meeting because members need erful White House budget office that Tanden continues to work Speaking during the intro-
more time to consider the nom- has generated early controversy, for her confirmation with “both duction of members of Presi-
inee,” said a Democratic aide emerging as an immediate tar- parties.” dent-elect Joe Biden’s econom-
on the Homeland Security com- get for conservatives and Re- Taking into consideration ic team, the Indian-American
mittee. “The president deserves publican lawmakers. Neera is Manchin’s opposition, Tanden appointee had said, “Like the
to have a team in place that he said to have run in trouble with will most likely need at least one Vice President-elect’s (Kamala
wants, and we’re going to work some of the Republican sena- Republican for her confirma- Harris) mother, Shyamala, my
with our members to figure out tors due to her comments about tion. mother, Maya, was born in India.
the best path forward.” certain members of the Senate. But Sen. Lisa Murkows- Like so many millions, across
Joe Biden’s nomination Earlier on Friday, Demo- ki (R-Alaska) said Wednesday every generation, she came to
looks as if it is going to fail cratic Senator Joe Manchin that she hasn’t made a decision America to pursue a better life. I
Senate confirmation because announced that he will oppose on Neera Tanden’s nomination, was raised in a suburb of Boston
of her tweets. In her years be- Neera Tanden, President Joe leaving President Biden’s pick -- a middle-class kid.” “Now, it’s
fore the Twitter mast, Tanden Biden’s nomination to lead the to lead the Office of Manage- my honor to help shape those
tweeted that Mitch McConnell Office of Management and ment and Budget (OMB) stuck budgets and programs to keep
was “Voldemort” and “Moscow Budget. The announcement in limbo. lifting Americans up, to pull
Mitch,” compared Ted Cruz potentially reduces Tanden’s “I saw that they pulled her families back from the brink. To
unfavorably to vampires, called chances to get the position and from committee today, so it give everybody the fair chance
Tom Cotton a “fraud,” said that is a new setback for the Demo- looks like I’ve got more time my mother got, and that every-
Bernie Sanders —a frequent crats’ agenda. to be thinking about things,” one deserves.”
Tanden target—was helped by When questioned if he was Murkowski said, referring to Talking about her journey in
Russia in the 2016 Democrat- planning to give up his nomina- the decision by the Budget and the US and her Indian origin,
ic primaries, and called Sen. tion, Biden replied: “No.” He Homeland Security and Gov- she said, “I’m here today thanks
Collins’s reasons for voting to said: “I think we’re gonna find ernmental Affairs committees to my mother’s grit, but also
confirm then-Judge Brett Kava- the votes to get her confirmed.” to delay votes on her nomina- thanks to a country that had
naugh a “pathetically bad faith White House spokeswoman tion. faith in us, that invested in her
argument as cover for President Jen Psaki said: “Neera Tanden Murkowski’s decision on humanity, and in our dreams.
Trump’s vicious attacks on survi- is an accomplished policy ex- Tanden is viewed as crucial in I’m here today because of social
vors of sexual assault.” pert who would be an excellent the White House’s uphill bid programs. Because of budget-
Biden’s pick to lead the pow- Budget Director,” while adding to salvage her nomination. Be- ary choices.”

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