WASHINGTON (AP) - Mick Mulvaney has been sworn in as director of the White House budget office.
Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath of office Thursday hours after the Senate confirmed Mulvaney by a narrow 51-49 vote.
Democrats had opposed Mulvaney over his support for curbing the growth of Medicare and Social Security. They also objected to his brinksmanship as a freshman lawmaker during the 2011 debt crisis in which the government came perilously close to defaulting on its obligations.
Mulvaney's confirmation promises to accelerate work on the Trump administration's upcoming budget plan, which is overdue.
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