Press Releases

Today, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released a statement following the Senate’s party-line vote to confirm Russell Vought—a lead architect of Project 2025—as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB):

“Despite Mr. Vought’s recent orchestration of the illegal, chaotic, and damaging funding freeze, Senate Republicans confirmed this Project 2025 architect to lead the largest office within the Executive Office of the President, endangering the rule of law, the health of our democracy, and the safety and well-being of the American people.

“Mr. Vought has openly advocated to weaponize federal funding to push Trump’s pet projects, deprive communities of resources, and punish those seen as insufficiently loyal to President Trump. This is a man who has referred to a ‘post-constitutional’ era, and has bragged about wanting to traumatize our dedicated public servants and help President Trump abuse the powers of the nation’s highest office. With their confirmation vote, Senate Republicans have not only endorsed Mr. Vought—they have also endorsed the dystopian and authoritarian Project 2025 agenda Mr. Vought will inflict on the American people as head of OMB.

“Oversight Committee Democrats will fight relentlessly to block these dangerous abuses and use every tool at our disposal to safeguard our democracy, protect the federal workforce from abuse, and protect the rights of the American people we serve.”

Mr. Vought served as the OMB Director during President Trump’s first term, where he orchestrated the illegal impoundment of aid to Ukraine in a quid-pro-quo scheme that ultimately led to the first impeachment of President Trump.

As OMB Director, Mr. Vought pushed to reclassify thousands of career civil servants as “Schedule F,” giving the President the power to fire or relocate these dedicated and experienced federal employees and replace them with political loyalists.

Purging the civil service is a key component of Mr. Vought’s Project 2025, and Co-Presidents Trump and Elon Musk have used their first few weeks of power to launch systematic and widespread attacks on federal workers that will harm all Americans. A self-described “Christian Nation-ist,” Mr. Vought has called for the enactment of draconian policies included in Project 2025, including the restriction of abortion and reproductive freedom, withholding government contracts to “push back against woke policies” in corporate America, and eliminating entire federal agencies.