Obama's choice to lead OMB faces hurdle

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Wednesday he will oppose the nomination of Jacob Lew to head the OMB, a decision that complicates Democratic hopes of confirming Lew before adjourning for the midterm elections.

"I will vote against him in the committee and I intend to vote against him on the floor," Sanders said.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee overwhelmingly approved the nomination on Tuesday. The Senate Budget Committee is also expected to easily clear the nomination on Thursday for consideration by the full Senate.

Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said Wednesday that he hopes Lew, who is also backed by Budget ranking member Judd Gregg, R-N.H., can be confirmed before the chamber adjourns either next week or the following week.

But Sanders' opposition means Democrats will be unable to win unanimous consent to confirm Lew and will need a roll call vote -- a time challenge with the Senate facing a packed schedule before its likely adjournment late next week. A Democratic leadership aide said Democrats could still reach a time agreement to allow a quick up or down vote on the nomination.

Sanders said he met with Lew last week and questioned him in committee. "The answers that he gave me in terms of trade policy, in terms of deregulation of Wall Street, in terms of Social Security and some other issues just didn't ring to me to be the kind of answers that we need in order to protect working people right now," Sanders said.

Sanders said he wants agreement that Social Security is not "going bankrupt" and can remain strong without hiking the age of eligibility or otherwise restricting benefits with "modest changes such as lifting the cap on higher income" people.

"I want someone at OMB to say that," Sanders said.

Lew led the OMB under former President Bill Clinton and served as a member of the National Security Council. In the current administration he has served as deputy secretary of State for management and resources.

Lew would replace former OMB Director Peter R. Orszag, who left in July.