▁ ▁Mac Don ough ▁joined ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Parliament arian ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁parliament arian ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁senior ▁assistant ▁parliament arian ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁She ▁ad vised ▁then - V ice ▁President ▁Albert ▁G ore ▁on ▁the ▁procedure ▁for ▁counting ▁ball ots ▁following ▁Bush ▁v . ▁G ore . ▁At ▁her ▁appointment ▁to ▁Parliament arian ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁she ▁was ▁pra ised ▁by ▁out going ▁Parliament arian ▁Alan ▁Fr umin ▁as ▁" down - to - ear th ," ▁describing ▁her ▁personal ▁knowledge ▁of ▁Capit ol ▁staff ers ; ▁and ▁by ▁Senator ▁Richard ▁Sh el by ▁( R - AL ) ▁as ▁" sm art , ▁dil igent ▁... ▁and ▁she ' s ▁got ▁integrity ." ▁Sen . ▁John ▁Th une ▁( R - SD ) ▁said ▁" she ' s ▁very ▁ste ep ed ▁in ▁the ▁trad itions ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁and ▁understand ▁how ▁it ▁works ▁here " ▁and ▁Sen . ▁Mark ▁Warner ▁( D - VA ) ▁said ▁he ▁had ▁" no ▁question ▁about ▁her ▁ability ▁to ▁read ▁the ▁rules ▁and ▁make ▁the ▁right ▁dec isions ." ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁con gression al ▁effort ▁to ▁partially ▁repe al ▁the ▁Pat ient ▁Prote ction ▁and ▁Aff ord able ▁Care ▁Act ▁( AC A ), ▁Mac Don ough ▁ruled ▁the ▁provision ▁that ▁would ▁roll ▁back ▁the ▁Independent ▁Pay ment ▁Ad vis ory ▁Board ▁dis qual ified ▁the ▁ 2