Eric Uland, acting Chief of Staff of OMB, testified at a nomination hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.
President Donald Trump calls on Congress to codify spending cuts.
During the nomination hearing, OMB Chief of Staff and Trump’s management candidate Eric Uland told the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs that the White House “will send at least one discharge package to Congress.”
The withdrawal package is when the administration asks Congress to revoke funds that the legislative sector has already allocated. Such a move would require only a simple majority in both Congresses, as it is not subject to the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold that applies to most laws.
“We are excited about the partnership,” Ueland said. “And I look forward to the president being able to sign actual laws.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has expressed his support for this process.
“It would be right to send the withdrawal package to Congress, so that we can unleash it. We expect it to become part of this process,” he told reporters last month.
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In 2018, during his first term, Trump sent a $15 billion withdrawal package to Republican-controlled Congress, but was rejected.
“We look forward to success,” Ueland said.
Congress is also expected to codify the reductions recommended by Government Efficiency (DOGE). It is an advisory body that conducts federal audits to identify waste, fraud and abuse in spending.
Congress passed a continuing resolution last month, but it did not include codification of Doge-related cuts.
“And in the 2026, next fiscal year, you’ll see a very different process and more efficient and effective spending for people,” Johnson said.
During the nomination hearing, Ueland spoke about the administration’s goal of reducing its administrative state.
“Under the direction of the OMB Director and Associate Director, (the assistant director of management) and staff can become leaders in the evaluation and reform of the process and operations that ensure that the federal government is too big and inefficient and that Americans receive the government services they deserve,” he said.
“OMB knows whether the federal real estate footprint is too large and organized according to taxpayer needs, and whether we give rights to what we have, what we rent and what we do.”
Jacob Berg contributed to this report.
