Two Senate committees voted on Wednesday afternoon to advance the nominations of Dan Bishop to serve as the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and Paul Lawrence to serve as the deputy secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The Senate Budget Committee voted 11-10 to advance the Bishop nomination, while the Senate VA Committee advanced the Lawrence nomination without immediately disclosing the vote tally.
The nominations now head to the full Senate for further consideration.
Bishop: Resisting Impoundment Control Act
During his March 5 nomination hearing before the Senate Budget Committee, Bishop said he takes issue with the constitutionality of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 and will join in lockstep with OMB Director Russell Vought to push back against the law.
The Impoundment Control Act (ICA) restricts a president from cutting Federal funding without the approval of Congress. Under the law, the president can sometimes delay or withhold funding – not cancel it – but it requires that the president notify Congress before doing so.
The law has gained increased attention in recent weeks after President Donald Trump attempted to freeze Federal grant funding without notifying Congress.
“There may be issues about the Impoundment Control Act and its constitutionality, and what exactly the contours are of the historic power to impound,” Bishop told lawmakers. “President Trump’s made clear that’s going to be looked at. So, that’s part of, I think, in answer to the question, ‘What do I hope to do?’”
Bishop served as a U.S. representative from North Carolina from 2019 to 2025. He did not seek reelection in 2024 after deciding to run for attorney general in North Carolina. He lost that election to a fellow departing House member, Rep. Jeff Jackson, D-N.C.
Lawrence: Overseeing VA’s EHRM Program
As for Lawrence, if confirmed, he will be tasked with overseeing the VA’s Electronic Health Records Modernization (EHRM) program.
During his Feb. 19 confirmation hearing, Lawrence pledged to lawmakers that, if confirmed, he will work to get the EHRM program “back on track.” The program has faced a troubled rollout riddled with underreported costs, deficiencies in training, and diminished employee morale.
“If confirmed, I want to … figure out what the plan should be in terms of holding everybody accountable for what’s supposed to take place: to get the most benefits as quickly as possible to our veterans within the amount of money we have,” Lawrence said.
“I understand the frustration, and I pledge to work as best, as hard as I can, to get this done,” he added.
Lawrence previously served as the under secretary of benefits within the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) during the first Trump administration.
