Senate confirms Higginbottom as OMB deputy director

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Senate confirms Higginbottom as OMB deputy director

The final vote was 64-36 for the former Obama policy director.

Federal News Network Staff

October 20, 2011 5:59 pm

1 min read

By Jolie Lee
Federal News Radio

The Senate confirmed Heather Higginbottom as the new deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget by a 64-36 vote today.

The President nominated Higginbottom for OMB’s second highest ranking slot in January.

Heather Higginbottom (Photo: White House)

“Heather has a passion for her work and has demonstrated throughout her career a dedication to sound public policy that makes a difference in people’s lives,” OMB Director Jack Lew wrote in a blog post after the President nominated Higginbottom.

Higginbottom is the former policy director for the Obama presidential campaign and then the White House’s domestic policy council deputy director. Previously, she worked for seven years as legislative director for Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).

Higginbottom has also founded and served as executive director of the American Security Project, a national security think tank “dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of a range of national security issues.” She began her career as an advocate for the non-profit organization Communities in School and advised President Clinton on his Summit for America’s Future in 1997.

In her confirmation by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee in March, some senators expressed concern that Higginbottom did not have enough budget experience for the position.

An OMB spokesperson said Higginbottom will play a “key role” in developing the 2013 budget proposal.