In this Jan. 24, 2019 file photo, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., speaks during the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington. Right: President Donald Trump's Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought is sworn in during the Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing in the Dirksen Senate Building on Jan. 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images and AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
According to Merkley, a Boston University School of Public Health study claims that some 246,000 children have died due to the various foreign aid programs cut by DOGE.
"We are talking a quarter million children because of your irresponsible shutdown of programs that Congress had fully authorized, and you unconstitutionally shut down in partnership with Elon Musk and the Secretary of State," fired Merkley. "How do you feel about being responsible for hundreds of thousands of children dying because of your sudden interruption in these key programs?"
Vought soundly rejected the assertion, saying that every administration "has the ability to do a programmatic review when they come into office" and to make changes based on "new spending priorities."
Before he could finish, Merkley cut Vought off, saying, "I find your response both ignorant and callous."
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Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., was among Appropriations Committee Democrats who challenged Vought on DOGE cuts and their impact. (Jacquelyn Martin)
But it wasn't just Democrats taking Vought to task during the hearing.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, also voiced frustration over the Trump administration’s DOGE cuts, taking particular issue with cuts to public broadcasting, which she said plays an important emergency services role in her state.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also voiced objections to the cuts to foreign aid, which he said were opportunities to project American soft power.
"Instead of creating efficiency, you've created vacuums for adversaries like China to fill responsible investments in soft power, prevent conflict, preserve American influence, and save countless of lives at the same time," said McConnell.
For his part, Vought said that "it is critical that this body and the American people writ large, understand that many foreign aid programs use benevolent-sounding titles to hide truly appalling activity that is not in line with American interests."
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OMB Director Russell Vought, shown here from a Jan. 2025 confirmation hearing, was subject to some critical questions by Republican Sens. Murkowski and McConnell at an Appropriations Committee hearing held Wednesday, June 26. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
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Vought said the "entire federal government must be responsible with each taxpayer dollar that comes to Washington."
"The American people voted for change. President Trump stands ready to put our fiscal house back in order and put the American taxpayer first," he said, adding, "A vote for rescissions is a vote to show that the United States Senate is serious about getting our fiscal house in order. I hope that the Senate will join us in that fight."
Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-senator-accuses-top-trump-official-being-responsible-hundreds-thousands-children-dying