Neera Tanden: Senate committee postpones confirmation hearing for Biden’s budget pick

A vote on whether to confirm President Joe Biden’s embattled Office of Management and Budget director nominee Neera Tanden has been delayed, according to multiple reports, amid criticism from several senators over her past comments.

Ms Tanden, who served a critical role under former President Barack Obama in drafting his landmark healthcare initiative, the Affordable Care Act, was heralded by the Biden administration as a top choice for OMB, which oversees federal agencies and the executive budget.

However, her nomination faced an uphill battle as Republicans cited her past tweets and statements criticizing prominent lawmakers like Senator Mitch McConnell (R—KY), who she referred to online as “Voldemort” and “Moscow Mitch”.

Her nomination was all but in peril when Senator Joe Manchin (D—WV) announced he would vote against Ms Tanden. By Tuesday morning, Axios reported the vote had been postponed.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.