[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 23, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1691]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Nomination of Shalanda D. Young

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am proud to be here on the Senate floor 
to offer my strong support for Shalanda Young to be Deputy Director of 
the Office of Management and Budget, as I have spoken about her earlier 
before the committee.
  She has worked on the House Appropriations Committee for nearly 14 
years. She has been the House Appropriations staff director since 2017.
  It is from my position on the Appropriations Committee that I got to 
know her very well. I can tell you, without any reservation, there is 
no one better suited for this position. Her deep understanding of, 
really, the often arcane Federal budget process, her years of 
experience on the Appropriations Committee, her tenacity, and her 
dedication to public service will serve the Agency and the American 
people.
  I think after we had the last closedown of the government--I believe 
the longest in history--we ended up, finally, with four of us meeting 
for several weeks in my office here in the Capitol. When we forged the 
agreement to reopen, Senator Shelby and myself, Congresswomen Lowey and 
Granger from the House--we were chair and vice chair of our respective 
committees--but, most importantly, Shalanda Young was there for the 
House, as was Chuck Kieffer, and she had an opportunity to work for the 
Senate. Her knowledge of the intricacies of that and her ability to 
help us reach agreement were absolutely essential.
  Ms. Young began her career in public service in 2001 at the National 
Institutes of Health. She first came to work on Capitol Hill as a 
detailee for the House Appropriations Committee in 2005. She came back 
as a professional staff member in 2007. She worked her way up in the 
committee over the years. She helped develop a budget for and conducted 
oversight of key Agencies. That has given her a critical insight into 
the operation of some of our Nation's most important Agencies, 
including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of the 
Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the General Services 
Administration. She even served as a staff director for the Legislative 
Branch Subcommittee, which covers the budget for Congress.
  Ms. Young became staff director of the House Appropriations Committee 
in 2017, coincidentally the same year I became vice chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee. But she has helped the House navigate some of 
the most difficult issues before the Chamber. As I said, she was a 
critical player in helping to end the longest Federal shutdown in 
history in 2019, and she was instrumental in crafting 2020 bipartisan 
COVID relief bills.
  She has a reputation as a tough but fair negotiator. That is high 
praise on Capitol Hill because she gets it from both Republicans and 
Democrats. I can attest to the truth of these statements. I have seen 
these skills firsthand.
  I have already said that the Office of Management and Budget is one 
of the most powerful government Agencies that most Americans have never 
heard of. That is true. It wields incredible influence on not just the 
Federal budget but over policies that affect people's lives.
  We need people like Shalanda Young to help steer the Agency in these 
important decisions. That is why I voted yes on the recent motion, and 
that is why I want to see her in that position as soon as possible.
  I yield the floor.

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