Source: Joe Raedle / Getty
(RNN) – President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that Alexander Acosta as the new nominee for secretary of labor, replacing Andrew Puzder, who withdrew his nomination on Wednesday after losing support among Senate Republicans.
Earlier Thursday, the Senate confirmed balanced-budget advocate U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-SC, as head of the powerful Office of Management and Budget (OMB), on Thursday.
He squeaked through on a 51-49 vote, with Republican Sen. John McCain voting against Mulvaney.
Acosta is Dean of the Florida International University Law School and is a Miami native. He served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. He was a member of the National Labor Relations Board and was the first Hispanic to hold the rank of U.S. Assistant Attorney General.
His labor experience stems from his private practice at the Kirkland and Ellis Law Firm, Washington Office, where he specialized in labor and employment issues. While he served as U.S. Attorney, the Southern District prosecuted Jack Abramoff for fraud and Jose Padilla for terrorism.
Mulvaney served on the House Financial Services and Oversight and Government Reform committees.
Trump said he wants a $1 trillion infrastructure program, one of his most-welcomed proposals by Democrats.
Democrats, however, contested his nomination because he wants to curb the growth of programs such as Medicare and Social Security.
McCain, the Armed Services Committee chairman, opposed the nomination because Mulvaney wants to cut Pentagon spending, the Associated Press reported.
Mulvaney will try to balance Trump’s spending and tax cuts plans with his own desire to balance the budget, a position shared by members of both parties. The fiscal year deficits have grown the national debt to a total approaching $20 trillion.
The OMB is an office within the White House that helps the president set out his fiscal priorities across the federal government. The OMB develops the budget the president proposes to Congress.
Mulvaney is an honors graduate from Georgetown University in economics, commerce and finance. The North Carolina law school graduate also has operated a home building business, restaurant and practiced law.
In Washington, he has co-sponsored a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, and highlighted the importance of reining in the national debt.
The nomination process for Trump’s cabinet hasn’t been smooth. Puzder withdrew from consideration Wednesday after losing GOP support.
READ MORE: Cleveland19.com
Article Courtesy of WOIO Cleveland 19 News
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