The Senate Budget Committee Tuesday unanimously recommended that Rob Portman be confirmed by the full Senate as the next White House budget director.
The committee backed President Bush's choice of Portman to head the Office of Management and Budget. The vote of support followed a similar action Monday by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which also oversees budget director nominations.
Portman, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has served for the past year as Bush's chief trade negotiator.
Portman would take over the budget job from Josh Bolten, who recently became White House chief of staff.
The director plays a central role in crafting annual budgets the president submits to Congress, which usually are significantly amended by lawmakers.
The budget chief also weighs in on individual spending bills that are now moving through Congress, as well as emergency bills for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for hurricane aid.
Bush has nominated Susan Schwab to replace Portman in the trade job.