Joyce Remarks at Oversight Hearing on Office of Management and Budget

I would like to welcome Director Vought back and thank him for being here today. The Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, plays a central role in most of the decisions made in the Executive Branch, particularly as it relates to the federal budget. 

It’s also important to remind our audience again that OMB is an office created by Congress. In 1921, Congress passed the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, which created the Bureau of the Budget under the Department of the Treasury. Later in 1939, in the Reorganization Act of 1939, the Bureau was relocated to the newly created Executive Office of the President. And, in 1970, Congress approved the Bureau’s renaming to the Office of Management and Budget. I restate this history because OMB plays a unique role both as an office created by Congress and as one that has been, and continues to be, responsible for fulfilling the President’s policies. 

Over the course of the second Trump administration, OMB continues to play a central role in the continued reshaping of the federal government. As of June 20th, 265 executive orders, 59 memoranda, and 153 proclamations had been signed by the President. OMB plays a critical role in each one of these decisions. 

However, we need to work together to ensure that federal funds are being used as Congress intended. Even if the administration doesn’t agree with the intent of certain programs. This is why the President’s budget remains so important. It is a guide to help Congress understand agency priorities and how the legislative and executive branch can work together to deploy the resources necessary to execute on those priorities.

For Fiscal Year 2027, OMB is requesting $146.1 million; a 13.3 percent increase above its FY26 enacted level. I look forward to discussing OMB’s FY27 request with Director Vought and how we can work together to ensure agencies have the resources they need to work on the priorities for our constituents and the public writ large.