White House press secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiBiden to hold virtual bilateral meeting with Mexican president Overnight Defense: Biden sends message with Syria airstrike | US intel points to Saudi crown prince in Khashoggi killing | Pentagon launches civilian-led sexual assault commission Biden administration to give Congress full classified briefing on Syria strikes by next week MORE on Monday expressed support for President Biden
Joe BidenHouse Democrats pass sweeping .9T COVID-19 relief bill with minimum wage hike Biden to hold virtual bilateral meeting with Mexican president More than 300 charged in connection to Capitol riot MORE's embattled Office of Management and Budget (OMB) nominee, Neera Tanden
Neera TandenOn The Money: Democrats scramble to save minimum wage hike | Personal incomes rise, inflation stays low after stimulus burst Media circles wagons for conspiracy theorist Neera Tanden The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Biden vs. Trump, part II MORE, after a key GOP swing vote indicated that she would vote against Tanden's confirmation.
Psaki tweeted Monday morning that Tanden was an "accomplished policy expert" who would be the first Asian American woman to lead the agency and cited Tanden's "lived experience having benefitted from a number of federal programs as a kid."
The White House is "looking ahead to the committee votes this week and continuing to work toward her confirmation," Psaki added in the tweet.
Neera Tanden=accomplished policy expert, would be 1st Asian American woman to lead OMB, has lived experience having benefitted from a number of federal programs as a kid, looking ahead to the committee votes this week and continuing to work toward her confirmation
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) February 22, 2021
Her comments immediately followed an announcement by Sen. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsMedia circles wagons for conspiracy theorist Neera Tanden Why the 'Never-Trumpers' flopped Republicans see Becerra as next target in confirmation wars MORE (R-Maine) that she would vote against Tanden's confirmation. Collins was seen as a possible pickup vote for the White House as it seeks to salvage Tanden's confirmation in the face of opposition from Sen. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinHouse Democrats pass sweeping .9T COVID-19 relief bill with minimum wage hike Democrats scramble to rescue minimum wage hike White House noncommittal on 'Plan B' push to add wage increase to relief bill MORE (D-W.Va.).
Collins cited more than 1,000 social media posts deleted by Tanden in the days leading up to her nomination and beyond, many of which targeted Republicans and progressives for harsh criticism and which Republicans have called "insulting."
Manchin previously announced his opposition to Tanden's nomination on Friday, citing the incendiary posts on social media.
"I believe her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget," Manchin said in a statement. "For this reason, I cannot support her nomination."
Biden will need one Republican vote as well as the votes of every other member of Manchin's caucus in order to secure Tanden's confirmation in the divided 50-50 Senate.
Biden over the weekend also stood by Tanden's nomination, setting up a battle with the Senate even as the president is simultaneously working to pass his first major piece of legislation, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan.
