A White House official says President Barack Obama will appoint senior White House budget officer Daniel Werfel to be acting commissioner of the federal tax agency.

Daniel Werfel will replace Steven Miller, ousted Wednesday amid revelations that the Internal Revenue Service improperly singled out conservative groups for special scrutiny.

Werfel is the controller of the Office of Management and Budget, a job akin to a chief financial officer. Though Werfel was appointed to that job by Obama, he also worked during the administration of President George W. Bush.

The official was not authorized to speak on the record about the announcement and revealed Werfel's appointment on the condition of anonymity.

After days of inaction, Obama has tried to move swiftly in response to reports of inappropriate targeting by the IRS.