Senate Returns Levenbach Nomination, Extending Vought’s CFPB Tenure To August 2026

A “technical maneuver” to return Stuart Levenbach’s nomination ensures leadership continuity at the CFPB under Acting Director Russell Vought and a focus on his priorities over the next several months.

The U.S. Senate has returned the nomination of Stuart Levenbach for the CFPB director to the president.

Under the Federal Vacancies Act, the action allows CFPB Acting Director Russell Vought to continue to serve until Aug. 1, 2026.

Levenbach, one of Vought’s top aides at the White House Office of Management and Budget, was nominated for the CFPB director position by President Donald Trump in November 2025.

Under the Federal Vacancies Act, a nomination submission allows an acting director to remain in the role for 210 days from the date of the nomination or other action.

According to details from Congress.gov on return of nominations, when the U.S. Senate returns a nomination to the president, “further consideration of the nomination can only occur if and when the president submits a new nomination to the Senate.”

The site also states, “even if the nomination is for the same person to the same position that was considered in the prior session, it is new — from a procedural standpoint— in the Senate, and is referred to the appropriate committee(s) of jurisdiction.”

When Levenbach was nominated in November 2025, a CFPB spokesperson told Politico the nomination was a “technical maneuver intended to extend Vought’s ability to continue serving as the acting director of the agency without needing Senate confirmation.”

A client alert from Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck provided to ACA International states, “Regardless of the bureau’s leadership or immediate enforcement posture, all existing CFPB regulations will remain in effect. State attorneys general retain authority to enforce many consumer financial protection laws, and numerous statutes provide for private rights of action, ensuring that compliance risk will persist even if federal enforcement activity moderates.”

In May 2025, President Trump withdrew the nomination for Jonathan McKernan as CFPB director.

If the president submits the nomination again, it will be referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for consideration.

ACA will continue to provide updates on the CFPB leadership following the news on Levenbach’s nomination, including on the ACA Huddle.

The weekly ACA Huddle, at 11 a.m. CT on Wednesdays, is an opportunity for members to hear timely state and federal advocacy as well as compliance updates ahead of their publication in ACA Daily and other member communications.

Remember, subscribe to ACA Daily and Member Alerts under your My ACA Assistant profile when logged in to acainternational.org.