Trump Administration to Request Congress to Enshrine Spending Cuts, OMB Official States

April 4, 2025 TruthUSA

Eric Ueland, the acting chief of staff for the OMB, provides his testimony during his nomination hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.

On April 3, a senior official from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced that President Donald Trump is set to request Congress to formalize spending reductions.

During his nomination hearing, Eric Ueland, currently serving as the acting chief of staff at the OMB and Trump’s nominee for the role of deputy director for management, informed the Senate Committee that the White House “will be sending a rescission package—at least one—to Congress.”

A rescission package is a request from the administration to revoke funding that has already been approved by Congress. This process bypasses the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster requirement, needing only a simple majority in both legislative chambers.

“We’re enthusiastic about this partnership,” Ueland remarked. “We look forward to the president signing into law tangible, verifiable spending cuts through the rescission process.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has voiced his support for this initiative.

“It would be appropriate for them to send a rescission package to Congress so we can revert that. We anticipate this will be part of the process,” he stated to reporters last month.

In 2018, Trump sent a $15 billion rescission package to a Republican-majority Congress, which was ultimately dismissed.

“We are optimistic about our chances of success,” Ueland remarked.

Additionally, Congress is anticipated to formalize cuts advised by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an organization conducting audits of federal agencies to uncover waste, fraud, and misuse of funds.

“Our intention is to pass a clean [continuing resolution] to maintain funding at current levels, ensuring government operations continue while we start to integrate the savings identified through the DOGE efforts and other revenue sources,” Johnson stated last month.

Although Congress passed a continuing resolution last month, it did not incorporate the codification of DOGE-related cuts.

“For FY26, the upcoming fiscal year will see a significantly revamped process leading to more efficient and effective spending for the public,” Johnson added.

During his nomination hearing, Ueland emphasized the administration’s commitment to reducing the size of the administrative state.

“Guided by the OMB’s Director and Deputy Director, the [deputy director for management] and staff can spearhead efforts to evaluate and reform the procedures and operations that have rendered the federal government excessively large and inefficient while ensuring that citizens receive the governmental services they need and deserve,” he detailed.

“OMB is currently assessing whether the federal real estate footprint is disproportionately large and misaligned with taxpayer requirements, aiming to adjust our assets, rentals, and operations accordingly.”

Jacob Burg contributed to this report.

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