The Senate has confirmed the president's nominee for Director of the Office of Management and Budget in a narrow vote that largely followed party lines. The new director inherits responsibility for assembling the administration's next fiscal year budget proposal.
During confirmation hearings, the nominee pledged to prioritize deficit reduction while maintaining funding levels for key social programs and national defense.
Budget analysts expect the new director to face immediate challenges, including negotiations over the debt ceiling and disagreements between the two chambers on discretionary spending levels.
