Federal deputy received 50 votes in favor and 8 against; name is sent to the Court for analysis
The Senate approved this Wednesday (April 15, 2026) the nomination of the deputy (PT-MG) to take up a position as minister of the TCU (Federal Audit Court).
The congressman’s name had been chosen by the Chamber on Tuesday (April 14, 2026). PDL (Project Legislative Decree) 249 of 2026 received 50 votes in favor and 8 against in the Senate Plenary. Odair Cunha will replace minister Aroldo Cedraz, who retired.
TCU vacancies are distributed among nominations from the Senate, the Chamber and the Presidency of the Republic – there are 3 for each. Positions must be filled in a linked manner. In other words: replacing a minister is the responsibility of the same entity that nominated him (in this case, the Chamber).
During the session, the nomination received support from several senators. The President of the Senate, (União Brasil-AP), highlighted the “legitimacy of approval” by the vote obtained in the Chamber.
“He had the expressive support of 303 votes from female deputies, in a vote that had 5 candidacies”said Alcolumbre.
The senator (PSD-MG) stated that Odair Cunha is “one of the best political figures in Minas Gerais”. Pacheco praised his colleague’s trajectory: “I want to make this public recognition of his quality, his humble origins, of many difficulties in life. He rose to each of these positions in a very probative way”.
MANDATE AT TCU
TCU ministers have a lifetime mandate, with compulsory retirement at age 75. The court’s duties include analyzing the accounts provided annually by the President of the Republic and monitoring the application of federal public resources.
On the day of his appointment in the Chamber, Odair Cunha stated that the TCU should not paralyze public policies, but act with a guiding role, helping the manager to prevent problems and avoid waste.
PROFILE
Odair Cunha is a lawyer and is in his 6th consecutive term as a federal deputy. He is the author of 18 projects that became law, such as the one that gave rise to the (Emergency Events Sector Resumption Program). Created in 2021, the program helped companies that halted activities during the Covid-19 pandemic. He was the rapporteur of 230 proposals transformed into law.
This text was originally published by Agência Senado, on April 15, 2026. The content is free for republication, citing the source, and was adapted to the standard of Poder360.
