Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Executive Departments During the 110th Congress, 2007-2008

November 19, 2010 (R41497)

Contents

Tables

Appendixes

Summary

The appointment process for advice and consent positions consists of three main stages. The first stage is selection, clearance, and nomination by the President. This step includes preliminary vetting, background checks, and ethics checks of potential nominees. At this stage, the president may also consult with Senators who are from the same party if the position is located in a state. The second stage of the process is consideration of the nomination in the Senate, most of which takes place in committee. Finally, if a nomination is approved by the full Senate, the nominee is given a commission signed by the President, which makes the nomination official.

During the 110th Congress, the President submitted to the Senate 172 nominations to executive department full-time positions. Of these 172 nominations, 125 were confirmed; 13 were withdrawn; and 34 were returned to him in accordance with Senate rules. For those nominations that were confirmed, an average of 104 days elapsed between nomination and confirmation. The median number of days elapsed was 92.

The methodology used in this report to count the length of time between nomination and confirmation differs from that which was used in previous similar CRS reports. The statistics presented here include the days during which the Senate was adjourned for its summer recesses and between sessions of Congress. The methodological change, which may reduce the comparability of statistics in this report with those of the earlier research, is discussed in the text of this report as well as in an appendix. Reasons for the change include the conversion of long recesses into a series of short recesses punctuated by pro forma sessions during the 110th Congress; the fact that although committees may not be taking direct action on nominations in the form of hearings or votes, they are likely still considering and processing nominations during recesses; and a desire to be consistent with the methodology used by many political scientists as well as CRS research on judicial nominations. In addition, an argument could be made that the decision to extend Senate consideration of nominees over the course of a recess is intentional, and the choice to extend this length of time is better represented by including all days, including long recesses.

President George W. Bush did not make any recess appointments to executive department full-time positions during the 110th Congress.

Information for this report was compiled from data from the Senate nominations database of the Legislative Information System http://www.congress.gov/nomis/, the Congressional Record (daily edition), the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, telephone discussions with agency officials, agency websites, the United States Code, and the 2008 "Plum Book" (United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions).

This report will not be updated.


Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions in Executive Departments During the 110th Congress, 2007-2008

This report explains the process for filling positions to which the President makes appointments with the advice and consent of the Senate (PAS positions). It also identifies, for the 110th Congress, all nominations to executive-level full-time positions1 in the 15 departments. Profiles of the departments provide information regarding their full-time PAS positions and related appointment activity during the 110th Congress.

The Appointment Process for Advice and Consent Positions

The President and the Senate share the power to appoint the principal officers of the United States.2 The Constitution (Article II, Section 2, clause 2) empowers the President to nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint the principal officers of the United States.3 Three distinct stages mark the appointment process: selection, clearance, and nomination by the President; consideration by the Senate; and appointment by the President.

Selection, Clearance, and Nomination

In the first stage, the White House selects and clears a prospective appointee before sending a formal nomination to the Senate. There are a number of steps in this stage of the process for most Senate-confirmed positions. First, with the assistance of, and preliminary vetting by, the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, the President selects a candidate for the position. Members of Congress and interest groups sometimes recommend candidates for specific PAS positions. They may offer their suggestions by letter, for example, or by contact with a White House liaison.4 In general, the White House is under no obligation to follow such recommendations. In the case of the Senate, however, it has been argued that Senators are constitutionally entitled, by virtue of the advice and consent clause noted above, to provide advice to the President regarding his selection; the extent of this entitlement is a matter of some debate.5 As a practical matter, in instances where Senators perceive insufficient pre-nomination consultation has occurred, they have sometimes exercised their procedural prerogatives to delay or even effectively block consideration of a nomination.6

During the clearance process, the candidate prepares and submits several forms, including the "Public Financial Disclosure Report" (Standard Form (SF) 278), the "Questionnaire for National Security Positions" (SF 86), and the White House "Personal Data Statement Questionnaire." The Office of the Counsel to the President oversees the clearance process, which often includes the collection and review of background information by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Office of Government Ethics (OGE), and an ethics official for the agency to which the candidate is to be appointed. If conflicts of interest are found during the background check, OGE and the agency ethics officer may work with the candidate to mitigate the conflicts. Once the Office of the Counsel to the President has cleared the candidate, the nomination is ready to be submitted to the Senate.

The selection and clearance stage has often been the longest part of the appointment process. There have been, at times, lengthy delays, particularly when many candidates have been processed simultaneously, such as at the beginning of an Administration, or where conflicts needed to be resolved. Candidates for higher-level positions have often been accorded priority in this process. At the end of 2004, in an effort to reduce the elapsed time between a new President's inauguration and the appointment of his or her national security team, Congress enacted amendments to the Presidential Transition Act of 1963.7 These amendments encourage a President-elect to submit, for security clearance, potential nominees to high-level national security positions as soon as possible after the election.8 A separate provision of law, enacted as part of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, lengthens, during presidential transitions, the potential duration of a temporary appointment by 90 days.9 Although this provision might give some additional flexibility to an incoming President, it might also lengthen the appointment process for some positions by, in effect, extending the deadline by which a permanent appointment must be completed.

For a position located within a state (e.g., U.S. attorney, U.S. marshal, and U.S. district judge), the President, by custom, normally has nominated an individual recommended by one or both Senators (if they are from the same party as the President) from that state. In instances where neither Senator is from the President's party, he usually has deferred to the recommendations of party leaders from the state. Occasionally, the President has solicited recommendations from Senators of the opposition party because of their positions in the Senate.

If circumstances permit and conditions are met, the President could give the nominee a recess appointment to the position (see section entitled "Recess Appointments" below). Recess appointments have sometimes had political consequences, however, particularly where Senators perceived that such an appointment was an effort to circumvent their constitutional role. Some Senate-confirmed positions, such as many of those in the executive departments, may also be temporarily filled under the Vacancies Act.10

A nominee has no legal authority to assume the duties and responsibilities of the position; a nominee who is hired by the agency as a consultant while awaiting confirmation may serve only in an advisory capacity. Authority to act comes once there is Senate confirmation and presidential appointment, or if another method of appointment, such as a recess appointment or a temporary appointment, is utilized. (For further information on these methods, see sections entitled "Recess Appointments" and "Temporary Appointments" below.)

Senate Consideration

In the second stage, the Senate alone determines whether or not to confirm a nomination.11 The way the Senate has acted on a nomination has depended largely on the importance of the position involved, existing political circumstances, and policy implications. Generally, the Senate has shown particular interest in the nominee's views and how they are likely to affect public policy.12 Two other factors have sometimes affected the examination of a nominee's personal and professional qualities: whether the President's party controlled the Senate, and the degree to which the President became involved in supporting the nomination.

Much of the Senate confirmation process occurs at the committee level. Administratively, nominations are received by the Senate executive clerk, who arranges for the referral of the nominations to committee, according to the Senate rules and precedents.13 Committee nomination activity has generally included investigation, hearing, and reporting stages. As part of investigatory work, committees have drawn on information provided by the White House, as well as information they themselves have collected. Some committees have held hearings on nearly all nominations; others have held hearings for only some. Hearings provide a public forum to discuss a nomination and any issues related to the program or agency for which the nominee would be responsible. Even where confirmation has been thought to be a virtual certainty, hearings have provided Senators and the nominee with opportunities to go on the record with particular views or commitments. Senators have used hearings to explore nominees' qualifications, articulate policy perspectives, or raise related oversight issues.

A committee may decline to act on a nomination at any point—upon referral, after investigation, or after a hearing. If the committee votes to report a nomination to the full Senate, it has three options: it may report the nomination favorably, unfavorably, or without recommendation. A failure to obtain a majority on the motion to report means the nomination will not be reported to the Senate.14 If the committee declines to report a nomination, the Senate may, under certain circumstances, discharge the committee from further consideration of the nomination in order to bring it to the floor.15

The Senate historically has confirmed most, but not all, executive nominations. Rarely, however, has a vote to confirm a nomination failed on the Senate floor. Unsuccessful nominations usually do not make it past the committee stage. Failure of a nomination to make it out of committee has occurred for a variety of reasons, including opposition to the nomination, inadequate amount of time for consideration of the nomination, or factors that may not be directly related to the merits of the nomination.

Senate rules provide that "[n]ominations neither confirmed nor rejected during the session at which they are made shall not be acted upon at any succeeding session without being again made to the Senate by the President."16 In practice, such pending nominations have been returned to the President at the end of the session or Congress. Pending nominations also may be returned automatically to the President at the beginning of a recess of more than 30 days, but the Senate rule providing for this return is often waived.17

Appointment

In the final stage, the confirmed nominee is given a commission bearing the Great Seal of the United States signed by the President and is sworn into office. The President may sign the commission at any time after confirmation, at which point the appointment becomes official. Once the appointee is given the commission and sworn in, he or she has full authority to carry out the responsibilities of the office.

Recess Appointments

The Constitution also empowers the President to make limited-term appointments without Senate confirmation when the Senate is in recess.18 Such recess appointments expire at the end of the next session of the Senate. Appendix C provides a table showing the dates of the Senate recesses for the 110th Congress and showing that during this Congress, President Bush made no recess appointments to executive department positions.

Presidents have occasionally used the recess appointment power to circumvent the confirmation process. In response, Congress has enacted provisions that restrict the pay of recess appointees under certain circumstances. Because most potential appointees to full-time positions cannot serve without a salary, the President has an incentive to use his recess appointment authority in ways that allow them to be paid. Under the provisions, if the position falls vacant while the Senate is in session and the President fills it by recess appointment, the appointee may not be paid from the Treasury until he or she is confirmed by the Senate. However, the salary prohibition does not apply

(1) if the vacancy arose within 30 days before the end of the session of the Senate;

(2) if, at the end of the session, a nomination for the office, other than the nomination of an individual appointed during the preceding recess of the Senate, was pending before the Senate for its advice and consent; or

(3) if a nomination for the office was rejected by the Senate within 30 days before the end of the session and an individual other than the one whose nomination was rejected thereafter receives a recess appointment.19

A recess appointment falling under any one of these three exceptions must be followed by a nomination to the position not later than 40 days after the beginning of the next session of the Senate.20 For this reason, when a recess appointment is made, the President generally submits a new nomination for the nominee even when an old nomination is pending.21 These provisions have been interpreted by the Department of Justice to preclude payment of an appointee who is given successive recess appointments to the same position.22

Although recess appointees whose nominations to a full term are subsequently rejected by the Senate may continue to serve until the end of their recess appointment, a provision of the FY2008 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act may prevent them from being paid after their rejection. The provision reads, "Hereafter, no part of any appropriation contained in this or any other Act shall be paid to any person for the filling of any position for which he or she has been nominated after the Senate has voted not to approve the nomination of said person."23 Prior to this provision, similar wording was included in annual funding measures for most or all of the previous 50 years.

Another recent congressional response to the President's use of recess appointments was the decision, during the latter part of the first session of the 110th Congress, to restructure the Senate's longer recesses into a series of shorter recesses divided by pro forma sessions.24 Based upon the notion that the President can be restricted from making recess appointments during a recess that is no more than three days, the Senate sought to prevent recess appointments by holding pro forma sessions approximately every three days.25 Beginning in November of 2007, the Senate agreed to regularly scheduled pro forma sessions during periods that would have otherwise been recesses of duration of a week or longer. The Senate recessed on November 16, and pro forma meetings were convened on November 20, 23, 27, and 29, with no business conducted. The Senate reconvened and conducted business beginning on December 3, 2007. Similar procedures were followed for the remainder of the 110th Congress during other periods that would otherwise have been Senate recesses of at least a week in duration. For the remainder of his presidency, President Bush did not make any more recess appointments.26

Temporary Appointments

Congress has provided limited statutory authority for the temporary filling of vacant positions requiring Senate confirmation. It is expected that, in general, officials holding PAS positions who have been designated as "acting" are holding their offices under this authority or other statutory authority specific to their agencies. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998,27 when an executive agency position requiring confirmation becomes vacant, it may be filled temporarily in one of three ways: (1) the first assistant to such a position may automatically assume the functions and duties of the office; (2) the President may direct an officer in any agency who is occupying a position requiring Senate confirmation to perform those tasks; or (3) the President may select any officer or employee of the subject agency who is occupying a position for which the rate of pay is equal to or greater than the minimum rate of pay at the GS-15 level, and who has been with the agency for at least 90 of the preceding 365 days. The temporary appointment is for 210 days, but the time restriction is suspended if a first or second nomination for the position is pending. In addition, during a presidential transition, the 210-day restriction period does not begin to run until either 90 days after the President assumes office, or 90 days after the vacancy occurs, if it is within the 90-day inauguration period. The act does not apply to positions on multi-headed regulatory boards and commissions and to certain other specific positions that may be filled temporarily under other statutory provisions.28

Appointments During the 110th Congress

Table 1 summarizes appointment activity, during the 110th Congress, related to full-time positions in the 15 departments. President George W. Bush submitted to the Senate 172 nominations to executive department full-time positions. Of these 172 nominations, 125 were confirmed; 13 were withdrawn; and 34 were returned to the President under the provisions of Senate rules.29

President Bush did not make any recess appointments to the departments during this period.

Table 1. Nomination Action for 15 Departments During the 110th Congress

Positions in the 15 departments (total)

364

Positions to which nominations were made

156a

Individual nominees

167b

Nominations submitted to the Senate during the 110th Congress (total)

172b

Disposition of nominations

 

Confirmed by the Senate

125

Withdrawn

13

Returned (total)

34

End of the 1st session of the 110th Congress

2

End of the 2nd session of the 110th Congress

32

Recess Appointments (total)

0

Source: Table developed by the Congressional Research Service using data presented in the appendices of this report.

a. One of the positions, the Department of Veterans' Affairs' Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs, was filled twice during the 110th Congress. Thomas E. Harvey was confirmed for the position on May 25, 2007, and then Christine O. Hill was confirmed on October 2, 2008 after Harvey left the position. This is counted as a single position in the total count of positions to which nominations were made. Considering this a separate position, since there was a second successful nomination, would bring this count of positions to which nominations were made up to 157.

b. The figures shown here reveal that there is a distinction between the number of positions to which nominations were made (156), the number of individual nominees (167), and the total number of nominations submitted (172). The number of positions to which nominations were made (156) differs from the number of individual nominees (167) for two reasons. First, the President sometimes nominated more than one individual successively to an open position, usually following the return or withdrawal of his original nomination. Second, less frequently, the President nominated a single individual to more than one position over the course of the Congress. Again, this usually followed the return or withdrawal of the first nomination. The number of total nominations submitted (172) is higher than both of these numbers because it includes cases in which the President nominated an individual to the same position more than once. For example, Anita K. Blair was nominated for positions three times during the 110th Congress. Two of these nominations were to the same position in the Navy (but both nominations were unsuccessful and returned to the President), and the third was to a position in the Air Force. This would count as two positions to which nominations were made, one individual nominee, and three nominations submitted total.

Length of Time to Confirm a Nomination

The length of time a given nomination may be pending in the Senate has varied widely. Some nominations were confirmed within a few days, others were confirmed within several months, and some were never confirmed. This report provides, for each executive department nomination that was confirmed in the 110th Congress, the number of days between nomination and confirmation ("days to confirm"). For confirmed nominations, an average (mean) of 104 days elapsed between nomination and confirmation. The median number of days elapsed was 92.

The methodology used in this report to count the length of time between nomination and confirmation differs from that which was used in previous similar CRS reports. The statistics presented here include the days during which the Senate was adjourned for its summer recesses and between sessions of Congress. The methodological change reduces the direct comparability of statistics in this report with those of the earlier research. Reasons for the change include the conversion of long recesses into a series of short recesses punctuated by pro forma sessions during the 110th Congress; the fact that although committees may not be taking direct action on nominations in the form of hearings or votes, they are likely still considering and processing nominations during recesses; and a desire to be consistent with the methodology used by a majority of political scientists as well as CRS research on judicial nominations. In addition, an argument could be made that the decision to extend Senate consideration of nominees over the course of a recess is intentional, and the choice to extend this length of time is better represented by including all days, including long recesses. A more detailed explanation of this methodological change is located in Appendix E.

Organization of This Report

Executive Department Profiles

Each of the 15 executive department profiles provided in this report is organized into two parts: a table providing information, as of the end of the 110th Congress, regarding the organization's full-time PAS positions, and a table listing nominations and appointments to these positions during the 110th Congress. Data for these tables were collected from several authoritative sources.30

The first of these two tables identifies, as of the end of the 110th Congress,31 each full-time PAS position in the department,32 its incumbent, and its pay level. For most presidentially appointed positions requiring Senate confirmation, the pay levels fall under the Executive Schedule, which, as of January 2009, ranged from level I ($196,700) for Cabinet-level offices to level V ($143,500) for the lowest-ranked positions. An incumbent's name followed by "(A)" indicates an official who was, at that time, serving in an acting capacity. Vacancies are also noted in the first table.

The appointment action table provides, in chronological order, information concerning each nomination. It shows the name of the nominee, position involved, date of nomination or appointment, date of confirmation, and number of days between receipt of a nomination and confirmation. Actions other than confirmation (i.e., nominations returned to or withdrawn by the President) are also noted. Some individuals were nominated more than once for the same position, usually because the first nomination was returned to the President.

Each appointment action table provides the average "days to confirm" in two ways: mean and median. Both are presented because the mean can be influenced by outliers in the data, while the median does not tend to be influenced by outliers. In other words, a nomination that took an extraordinarily long time might cause a significant change in the mean, but the median would be unaffected. Presenting both numbers is a better way to look at the central tendency of the data.

For a small number of positions in this report, the two tables may give slightly different titles to the same position. This is a result of the fact that the titles used in the nomination the White House submits to the Senate, the title of each position as established by statute, and the title of the position used by the department itself are not always identical. The first table presented for each department, the table listing the incumbents at the end of the 110th Congress, relies upon data provided by the department itself in listing the positions. The second table presented, the list of nomination action within each department, relies primarily upon the Senate nominations database of the Legislative Information System (LIS).33 This information is based upon the nomination sent to the Senate by the White House, which is not always identical to the exact title of the position used by the department. However, the inconsistency only appears in a small minority of the positions listed in this report. Inconsistencies are noted in the footnotes following each appointment table.

Additional Appointment Information

Appendix A presents a table of all nominations and recess appointments to positions in executive departments, alphabetically organized by last name, and follows a similar format to that of the department appointment action tables. It identifies the agency involved and the dates of nomination and confirmation. The table also indicates if a nomination was confirmed, withdrawn, or returned. The mean and median numbers of days taken to confirm a nomination are also provided.

Appendix B provides a table with summary information on appointments and nominations, by department. For each of the 15 executive departments discussed in this report, the table provides the number of positions, nominations, individual nominees, confirmations, nominations returned, and nominations withdrawn. The table also provides the mean and median numbers of days to confirm a nomination.

Appendix C provides a table showing the dates of the Senate recesses for the 110th Congress.

A list of department abbreviations can be found in Appendix D.

As noted above, this report employs certain methods that differ from reports tracking appointments during previous Congresses. These methodological changes are explained in detail in Appendix E.


Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Ed Schafer

I

Deputy Secretary

Charles F. Conner

II

Inspector Generala

Phyllis K. Fong

a

Under Secretary – Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services

Mark E. Keenum

III

Under Secretary – Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services

Nancy Montanez-Johner

III

Under Secretary – Food Safety

Elizabeth Johnson (A)b

III

Under Secretary – Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Bruce I. Knight

III

Under Secretary – Natural Resources and Environment

Mark E. Rey

III

Under Secretary – Research, Education, and Economics

Gale A. Buchanan

III

Under Secretary – Rural Development

Douglas L. Faulkner (A)b

III

Assistant Secretary – Administration

Boyd K. Rutherford

IV

Assistant Secretary – Civil Rights

Margo M. McKay

IV

Assistant Secretary – Congressional Relations

Linda A. Strachan

IV

Chief Financial Officerc

Charles R. Christopherson Jr.

IV

General Counsel

Marc L. Kesselman

IV

Administrator – Rural Utilities Services

James M. Andrew

IV

a. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

b. Johnson was named as acting in a September 25, 2008 USDA press release. Faulkner was named as acting in a December 23, 2008, USDA press release.

c. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)).

USDA Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to
Confirm

Ed Schafer

Secretary

12/06/07

01/28/08

53


Department of Commerce (DOC)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Positiona

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Carlos M. Gutierrez

I

Deputy Secretary

John J. Sullivan

II

Under Secretary – Economic Affairs

Cynthia A. Glassman

III

Under Secretary – Export Administrationb

Mario Mancuso

III

Under Secretary – Intellectual Property/Director - U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Jonathan W. Dudas

III

Under Secretary – International Trade

Christopher A. Padilla

III

Under Secretary – Oceans and Atmosphere/Administrator – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

William J. Brennan (A)

III

Inspector Generalc

Todd J. Zinser

c

Assistant Secretary – Administration/Chief Financial Officerd

Otto J. Wolff

IV

Assistant Secretary – Communications and Information

Meredith A. Baker (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Economic Development

Santanu K. Baruah

IV

Assistant Secretary – Export Administration

Matthew S. Norman (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Export Enforcement

Darryl W. Jackson

IV

Assistant Secretary – Import Administration

David M. Spooner

IV

Assistant Secretary – Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs

Nathaniel F. Wienecke

IV

Assistant Secretary – Manufacturing and Services

William G. Sutton Jr.

IV

Assistant Secretary – Market Access and Compliance

David S. Bohigian

IV

Assistant Secretary – Oceans and Atmosphere/Deputy Administrator – NOAA

William J. Brennan

IV

Assistant Secretary – Trade Promotion/Director General – U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

Israel Hernandez

IV

Director – U.S. Census Bureau

Steven H. Murdock

IV

Director – National Institute of Standards and Technology

Vacant

IV

General Counsel

Lily F. Claffee

IV

Chief Scientist – NOAAe

Vacant

V

a. Positions in this column do not include those in the commissioned officer corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

b. Within the Department of Commerce, this position is also sometimes known as Under Secretary of Industry and Security.

c. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

d. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). Wolff was separately nominated and confirmed to be CFO and to be Assistant Secretary for Administration in the 107th Congress.

e. According to an agency spokesperson, this position had not been filled since 1996.

DOC Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Jane C. Luxton

Asst. Secy. – Oceans and Atmosphere

01/09/07

Withdrawn 05/03/07

Mario Mancuso

Under Secy. – Export Administrationa

01/18/07

05/25/07

127

William G. Sutton Jr.

Asst. Secy. – Manufacturing and Services

05/07/07

08/03/07

88

Steven H. Murdock

Dir. – Censusb

06/18/07

12/19/07

184

Christopher A. Padilla

Under Secy. – International Trade

09/04/07

12/19/07

106

Todd J. Zinser

Inspector General

09/07/07

12/19/07

103

John J. Sullivan

Deputy Secretary

12/04/07

03/13/08

100

William J. Brennan

Asst. Secy. – Oceans and Atmosphere

01/22/08

06/04/08

134

Neil S. Patel

Asst. Secy. – Communications and Information

03/05/08

Returned 01/02/09c

Lily F. Claffee

General Counsel

03/31/08

06/04/08

65

Christopher R. Wall

Asst. Secy. – Export Administration

03/31/08

06/27/08

88

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

111

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

103

a. Within the Department of Commerce, this position is also sometimes known as Under Secretary for Industry and Security.

b. As noted in the text of this report, position titles occasionally differ across the two tables provided for each department. In the Commerce Department, the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau (listed in the incumbents table above) is the same position as the Director of the Census listed in this nomination table.

c. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

Department of Defense (DOD)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Robert M. Gates

I

Deputy Secretary

Gordon England

II

Under Secretary – Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics

John J. Young Jr.

II

Under Secretary – Comptroller/Chief Financial Officera

Tina W. Jonas

III

Under Secretary – Intelligence

James R. Clapper Jr.

III

Under Secretary – Personnel and Readiness

David S. C. Chu

III

Under Secretary – Policy

Eric S. Edelman

III

Deputy Under Secretary – Acquisition and Technology

James I. Finley

III

Deputy Under Secretary – Logistics and Materiel Readiness

P. Jackson Bell

III

Inspector Generalb

Gordon S. Heddell (A)

b

Principal Deputy Under Secretary – Personnel and Readiness

Michael L. Domiguez

IV

Principal Deputy Under Secretary – Policy

Christopher R. Henry

IV

Assistant Secretary – Asian and Pacific Security Affairsc

James Shinn

IV

Assistant Secretary – Health Affairs

S. Ward Casscells

IV

Assistant Secretary – Homeland Defense

Paul McHale

IV

Assistant Secretary – International Security Affairs

Mary Beth Long

IV

Assistant Secretary – International Security Policy

Joseph A. Benkert

IV

Assistant Secretary – Legislative Affairs

Robert L. Wilkie

IV

Assistant Secretary – Networks and Information Integration

John G. Grimes

IV

Assistant Secretary – Public Affairs

Robert Hastings

IV

Assistant Secretary – Reserve Affairs

Thomas F. Hall

IV

Assistant Secretary – Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict

Michael G. Vickers

IV

Director – Defense Research and Engineering

Vacant

IV

Director – Operational Test and Evaluationd

Charles E. McQueary

IV

General Counsel

Daniel J. Dell'Orto (A)

IV

Assistant to the Secretary – Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs

Frederick S. Celec

V

Department of the Air Force

 

 

Secretary

Michael B. Donley

II

Under Secretary

Vacant

IV

Assistant Secretary – Acquisition

Sue C. Payton

IV

Assistant Secretary – Financial Management/Comptroller

John H. Gibson

IV

Assistant Secretary – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

Craig W. Duehring

IV

Assistant Secretary – Installations, Environment, and Logistics

Kevin W. Billings

IV

General Counsel

Mary L. Walker

IV

Department of the Army

 

 

Secretary

Preston M. Geren

II

Under Secretary

Nelson M. Ford

IV

Assistant Secretary – Civil Works

John P. Woodley Jr.

IV

Assistant Secretary – Financial Management/Comptroller

Peter Kunkel (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Installations and Environment

Keith E. Eastin

IV

Assistant Secretary – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

Ronald J. James

IV

Assistant Secretary – Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology

Dean G. Popps (A)

IV

General Counsel

Benedict S. Cohen

IV

Department of the Navy

 

 

Secretary

Donald C. Winter

II

Under Secretary

Dionel M. Aviles

IV

Assistant Secretary – Financial Management/Comptroller

Douglas A. Brook

IV

Assistant Secretary – Installations and Environment

Buddie J. Penn

IV

Assistant Secretary – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

Anita K. Blair (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Research, Development, and Acquisition

Sean J. Stackley

IV

General Counsel

Frank R. Jimenez

IV

Joint Chiefs of Staffe

 

(Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are compensated under the military pay system, rather than the executive schedule.)

Chairman

Michael G. Mullen

Vice Chairman

James E. Cartwright

Chief of Staff (Air Force)

Norton A. Schwartz

Chief of Staff (Army)

George W. Casey Jr.

Chief of Naval Operations

Gary Roughead

Commandant of the Marine Corps

James T. Conway

a. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). In the 108th Congress, Jonas was confirmed to be Under Secretary of Defense/Comptroller, and she also served as CFO.

b. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

c. The position of Assistant Secretary of Asian and Pacific Security Affairs in the Department of Defense was filled for the first time during the 110th Congress. The position was established by the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act during the 109th Congress on Oct. 17, 2006 (P.L. 109-364, Div A, Title IX, Subtitle A, § 901(a); 120 Stat. 2350).

d. The President may remove the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation from office. The law provides that "The President shall communicate the reasons for any such removal to both Houses of Congress." (10 U.S.C. § 139(a)(1).

e. The chairman and vice chairman serve two-year terms; other members serve four-year terms.

DOD Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Positions

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Anita K. Blair

Asst. Secy. – Air Force – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

01/09/07

Withdrawn 09/18/07

Michael J. Burns

Asst. to the Secretary – Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs

01/09/07

Withdrawn 06/11/07

James R. Clapper Jr.

Under Secy. – Intelligence

01/29/07

04/11/07

72

S. Ward Casscells

Asst. Secy. – Health Affairs

02/26/07

03/29/07

31

Claude M. Kicklighter

Inspector General

02/26/07

04/12/07

45

Michael G. Vickers

Asst. Secy. – Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict

04/10/07

07/23/07

104

Preston M. Geren

Secretary – Army

05/24/07

07/13/07

50

Douglas A. Brook

Asst. Secy. – Navy – Financial Management/Comptroller

06/05/07

11/16/07

164

John J. Young Jr.

Under Secy. – Acquisition, Technology and Logistics

06/21/07

11/16/07

148

Anita K. Blair

Asst. Secy. – Navy – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

09/18/07

Returned 12/31/07a

James Shinn

Asst. Secy. – Asian and Pacific Security Affairs

10/23/07

12/19/07

57

John H. Gibson

Asst. Secy. – Air Force – Financial Management/Comptroller

10/26/07

12/19/07

54

Mary Beth Long

Asst. Secy. – International Security Affairs

11/08/07

12/19/07

41

Craig W. Duehring

Asst. Secy. – Air Force – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

11/15/07

12/19/07

34

Nelson M. Ford

Under Secy. – Army

01/22/08

07/23/08

183

Anita K. Blair

Asst. Secy. – Navy – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

01/23/08

Returned 01/02/09b

Joseph A. Benkert

Asst. Secy. – International Security Policy

02/25/08

07/23/08

149

Sean J. Stackley

Asst. Secy. – Navy – Research, Development, and Acquisition

05/01/08

07/23/08

83

Frederick S. Celec

Asst. to the Secretary – Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs

06/10/08

07/23/08

43

Michael B. Donley

Secretary – Air Force

06/25/08

10/02/08

99

Robert Hastings

Asst. Secy. – Public Affairs

07/10/08

Returned 01/02/09b

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

85

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

65

a. Returned to the President at the end of the first session of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

b. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of the Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.


Department of Education (ED)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Margaret Spellings

I

Deputy Secretary

Raymond J. Simon

II

Director – Institute of Education Sciencesa

Sue Betka (A)

II

Under Secretary

Kent D. Talbert (A)

III

Inspector Generalb

Jerry G. Bridges (A)

b

Chief Financial Officerc

Thomas Skelly (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Civil Rights

Stephanie J. Monroe

IV

Assistant Secretary – Communications and Outreach

Meredith Beaton (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Elementary and Secondary Education

Kerri L. Briggs

IV

Assistant Secretary – Legislation and Congressional Affairs

Holly A. Kuzmich

IV

Assistant Secretary – Management

Christopher M. Marston

IV

Assistant Secretary – Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development

Williamson Evers

IV

Assistant Secretary – Postsecondary Education

Cheryl Oldham (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

Tracy R. Justesen

IV

Assistant Secretary – Vocational and Adult Education

Troy R. Justesen

IV

General Counsel

Kent D. Talbert

IV

Commissioner – Education Statisticsd

Stuart Kerachsky (A)

IV

Commissioner – Rehabilitation Services Administration

Edward Anthony (A)

V

a. This position has a six-year term and specified qualifications. See 20 U.S.C. § 9514(b, d).

b. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

c. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). In previous Congresses, the CFO for the Department of Education has been appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate.

d. This position has a six-year term and specified qualifications. See 20 U.S.C. §9517(b).

ED Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Williamson Evers

Asst. Secy. – Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development

02/08/07

10/16/07

250

Kerri L. Briggs

Asst. Secy. – Elementary and Secondary Education

03/07/07

06/22/07

107

Diane A. Jones

Asst. Secy. – Postsecondary Education

05/22/07

08/01/07

71

Tracy R. Justesen

Asst. Secy. – Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

11/15/07

12/19/07

34

Holly A. Kuzmich

Asst. Secy. – Legislation and Congressional Affairs

06/24/08

08/01/08

38

Christopher M. Marston

Asst. Secy. – Management

06/24/08

08/01/08

38

Jerry G. Bridges

Inspector General

09/09/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

90

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

55

a. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.


Department of Energy (DOE)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Samuel W. Bodman

I

Deputy Secretary

Jeffrey F. Kupfer (A)

II

Under Secretary

Clarence H. Albright Jr.

III

Under Secretary – Nuclear Security/Administrator – National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Thomas P. D'Agostino

III

Under Secretary – Science

Raymond L. Orbach

III

Inspector Generala

Gregory H. Friedman

a

Principal Deputy Administrator – NNSA

William C. Ostendorff

IV

Deputy Administrator – Defense Programs, NNSA

Robert L. Smolen

IV

Deputy Administrator – Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, NNSA

William H. Tobey

IV

Administrator – Energy Information Administration

Howard Gruenspecht (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

Lisa E. Epifani

IV

Assistant Secretary – Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability

Kevin M. Kolevar

IV

Assistant Secretary – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

John F. Mizroch (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Environmental Management

Ines Triay (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Fossil Energy

James A. Slutz (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Nuclear Energy

Dennis R. Spurgeon

IV

Assistant Secretary – Policy and International Affairs

Jonathan Shrier (A)

IV

Chief Financial Officerb

Steven J. Isakowitz

IV

Director – Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management

Edward F. Sproat III

IV

Director – Office of Minority Economic Impact and Diversity

Theresa Alvillar-Speake

IV

Director – Office of Science

Raymond L. Orbach

IV

General Counsel

David R. Hill

IV

a. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

b. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)).

DOE Nomination Action During 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Kevin M. Kolevar

Asst. Secy. – Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability

01/09/07

08/03/07

206

Steven J. Isakowitz

Chief Financial Officer

02/08/07

05/25/07

106

William C. Ostendorff

Principal Deputy Administrator, NNSA

02/26/07

03/29/07

31

Thomas P. D'Agostino

Under Secy. – Nuclear Security/Admin., NNSAa

05/21/07

08/01/07

72

Lisa E. Epifani

Asst. Secy. – Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

06/13/07

08/03/07

51

Clarence H. Albright Jr.

Under Secy.

06/21/07

08/03/07

43

Robert L. Smolen

Deputy Admin. – Defense Programs, NNSA

07/31/07

11/16/07

108

Stanley C. Suboleski

Asst. Secy. – Fossil Energy

12/11/07

Withdrawn 02/26/08

J. Gregory Copeland

General Counsel

01/22/08

Withdrawn 06/24/08

Jeffrey F. Kupfer

Deputy Secy.

04/02/08

Returned 01/02/09b

James A. Slutz

Asst. Secy. – Fossil Energy

07/30/08

Returned 01/02/09b

F. Chase Hutto III

Asst. Secy. – International Affairs and Domestic Policy

09/26/08

Returned 01/02/09b

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

88

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

72

a. NNSA: National Nuclear Security Administration

b. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.


Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Positiona

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Michael O. Leavitt

I

Deputy Secretary

Tevi D. Troy

II

Administrator – Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Kerry Weems (A)

III

Inspector Generalb

Daniel R. Levinson

b

Administrator – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Eric Broderick (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Aging

Josefina G. Carbonell

IV

Assistant Secretary – Children and Families

Daniel C. Schneider (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Health

Joxel Garcia

c

Assistant Secretary – Legislation

Vincent J. Ventimiglia Jr.

IV

Assistant Secretary – Planning and Evaluation

Benjamin E. Sasse

IV

Assistant Secretary – Preparedness and Responsed

W. Craig Vanderwagen

IV

Assistant Secretary – Public Affairs

Christina H. Pearson

IV

Assistant Secretary – Resources and Technology/Chief Financial Officere

Charles E. Johnson

IV

Commissioner – Food and Drug Administration

Andrew C. von Eschenbach

IV

Director – National Institutes of Health

Raynard S. Kington (A)

IV

General Counsel

Preeya M. Noronha (A)

IV

Commissioner – Children, Youth, and Families

Joan E. Ohl

V

Commissioner – Administration for Native Americans

Quanah C. Stamps

V

Director – Indian Health Servicef

Robert G. McSwain

V

Surgeon Generalg

Steven K. Galson (A)

h

a. The positions in this column do not include officers of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, except in cases where such a commission is incidental to the position listed.

b. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

c. The Assistant Secretary for Health was compensated as a commissioned officer at Level 0-10 (37 U.S.C. § 201).

d. The position of Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Readiness was established by P.L. 109-417, Title 1, § 102(a)(3); (120 Stat. 2833). The position was first filled in the 110th Congress as shown.

e. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). Department representatives have indicated that the positions were combined as noted in the table.

f. This position has a four-year term; a Director may serve more than one term. See 25 U.S.C. § 1661(a).

g. This position has a four-year term and specified qualifications. See 42 U.S.C. § 205.

h. The Surgeon General is compensated as a commissioned officer at Level 0-9 (37 U.S.C. § 201).

HHS Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Daniel Meron

General Counsel

01/09/07

Returned 01/02/09a

W. Craig Vanderwagen

Asst. Secy. – Preparedness and Response

02/12/07

03/21/07

37

Tevi D. Troy

Deputy Secy.

05/03/07

08/03/07

92

Charles W. Grim

Director – Indian Health Service

05/21/07

Withdrawn 09/04/07

James W. Holsinger Jr.

Surgeon General

05/24/07

Returned 01/02/09a

Diane D. Rath

Asst. Secy. – Family Supportb

07/11/07

Returned 01/02/09a

Benjamin E. Sasse

Asst. Secy. – Planning and Evaluation

07/26/07

12/19/07

146

Christina H. Pearson

Asst. Secy. – Public Affairs

09/25/07

12/19/07

85

Robert G. McSwain

Director – Indian Health Service

12/19/07

04/29/08

132

Joxel Garcia

Asst. Secy. – Health

01/22/08

03/13/08

51

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

91

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

89

a. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

b. As noted in the text of this report, position titles occasionally differ across the two tables provided for each department. In the Health and Human Services Department, the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families (listed in the incumbents table above) is the same position as the Assistant Secretary for Family Support listed in this nomination table.


Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Positiona

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Michael Chertoff

I

Deputy Secretary

Paul A. Schneider

II

Under Secretary – Management

Elaine C. Duke

III

Under Secretary – National Protection and Programs

Robert D. Jamison

III

Under Secretary – Science and Technology

Jay M. Cohen

III

Director – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Michael Aytes (A)

III

Commissioner – U.S. Customs and Border Protection

W. Ralph Basham

III

Inspector Generalb

Richard L. Skinner

b

Assistant Secretary – Policy

Stewart A. Baker

IV

Assistant Secretary – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

John P. Torres (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Transportation Security Administration

Edmund S. "Kip" Hawley

IV

Assistant Secretary – Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officerc

Jeffrey W. Runge

IV

Chief Financial Officerd

Peggy Sherry (A)

IV

General Counsel

Gus P. Coldebella (A)

IV

Commandant of the Coast Guard

Thad W. Allen

Admirale

Director - Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement

Uttam Dhillon

IV

Federal Emergency Management Agency

 

 

Administratorf

R. David Paulison

II

Deputy Administrator – National Preparednessc

Dennis Schrader

III

Deputy Administrator/Chief Operating Officerc

Harvey E. Johnson Jr.

III

Assistant Administrator – Grants Program Directoratec

W. Ross Ashley III

IV

United States Fire Administrator

Gregory B. Cade

IV

a. The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (Title VI of P.L. 109-295), enacted October 4, 2006, included provisions that established, abolished, and changed certain advice and consent positions at DHS. The act established, as PAS positions, an administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (6 U.S.C. § 313(c)); four FEMA deputy administrators (6 U.S.C. § 321c(a)); and a chief medical officer for the department (6 U.S.C. § 321e(a)). It abolished the position of Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management (6 U.S.C. § 113(a)). During the departmental reorganization that followed the act, the DHS Office of Grants and Training, which had been headed by an assistant secretary, was transferred to FEMA, within DHS, as the Office of Grants Programs. The head of this renamed office was retitled as the Assistant Administrator for Grant Programs. (See U.S. Department of Homeland Security, letter from Secretary Michael Chertoff to the Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC, January 18, 2007 (identical letter sent to other congressional leaders). Of the four FEMA deputy administrators, only the positions in use at the end of the 110th Congress are shown. Additionally, the Homeland Security Act (P.L. 107-296, § 103; 116 Stat. 2135) provided for "Not more than 12 Assistant Secretaries" appointed through the advice and consent process. Of these, only the positions in use at the end of the 110th Congress are shown. Some assistant secretary positions previously created under this authority, such as the Assistant Secretary for Border and Transportation Security Policy, no longer exist, as such.

b. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

c. This position, filled for the first time in the 110th Congress, is discussed in footnote a, above.

d. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)).

e. The Commandant of the Coast Guard is compensated as a commissioned officer with the rank of Admiral at Level 0-10 (37 U.S.C. § 201).

f. During the departmental reorganization that followed the Post-Katrina Act, it was determined that R. David Paulison, who had been confirmed as Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management, would continue to lead FEMA in the new position of Administrator. (See page 3 of the letter from Secretary Michael Chertoff to specified members of Congress cited in footnote a, above.)

DHS Nomination Action During 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Gregory B. Cade

Admin. – U.S. Fire Administrationa

01/09/07

05/25/07

136

Julie L. Myers

Asst. Secy. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

01/09/07

12/19/07

344

Jeffrey W. Runge

Asst. Secy. – Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer

08/02/07

12/19/07

139

Robert D. Jamison

Under Secy. – National Protection and Programs

09/04/07

Withdrawn 12/19/07

Harvey E. Johnson Jr.

Deputy Admin./ Chief Operating Officer – Federal Emergency Management Agency

09/07/07

Withdrawn 12/12/07

Gus P. Coldebella

General Counsel

10/16/07

Returned 01/02/09b

Harvey E. Johnson Jr.c

Deputy Admin. – Federal Emergency Management Agency

12/12/07

06/27/08

198

Robert D. Jamison

Under Secy. – National Protection and Programs

12/19/07

12/19/07

0

Paul A. Schneider

Deputy Secy.

02/26/08

06/04/08

99

Elaine C. Duke

Under Secy. – Management

04/02/08

06/27/08

86

Jonathan R. Scharfen

Dir. – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

10/01/08

Returned 01/02/09b

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

143

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

136

a. As noted in the text of this report, position titles occasionally differ across the two tables provided for each department. In the Homeland Security Department, the United States Fire Administrator (listed in the incumbents table above) is the same position as the Administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration listed in this nomination table.

b. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

c. Harvey E. Johnson Jr. was originally nominated to serve as FEMA's Deputy Administrator and its Chief Operating Officer. After the White House withdrew the nomination and submitted a second nomination for Johnson to only the Deputy Administrator position, he was successfully confirmed.


Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Steven C. Preston

I

Deputy Secretary

Romolo "Roy" A. Bernardi

II

Director – Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversighta

James B. Lockhart III

II

Inspector Generalb

Kenneth M. Donohue Sr.

b

Assistant Secretary – Administration

Keith A. Nelson

IV

Assistant Secretary – Community Planning and Development

Susan D. Peppler

IV

Assistant Secretary – Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations

Sheila M. Greenwood

IV

Assistant Secretary – Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

Kim Kendrick

IV

Assistant Secretary – Housing/Federal Housing Commissioner

Brian D. Montgomery

IV

Assistant Secretary – Policy Development and Research

Darlene F. Williams

IV

Assistant Secretary – Public Affairs

Vacant

IV

Assistant Secretary – Public and Indian Housing

Vacant

IV

Chief Financial Officerc

John W. Cox

IV

General Counsel

Michael C. Flynn (A)

IV

President – Government National Mortgage Association

Joseph J. Murin

IV

a. This position has a five-year term and specified qualifications. See 12 U.S.C. § 4512.

b. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

c. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President , with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). Cox was confirmed as HUD's CFO in the 109th Congress.

HUD Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Scott A. Keller

Asst. Secy. – Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

01/09/07

Withdrawn 09/04/07

Robert M. Couch

General Counsel

04/10/07

06/13/07

64

Joseph J. Murin

President – Government National Mortgage Association

10/16/07

06/27/08

255

Susan D. Peppler

Asst. Secy. – Community Planning and Development

02/06/08

06/27/08

142

Sheila M. Greenwood

Asst. Secy. – Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations

02/26/08

06/27/08

122

Steven C. Preston

Secretary

05/01/08

06/04/08

34

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

123

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

122


Department of the Interior (DOI)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Dirk Kempthorne

I

Deputy Secretary

P. Lynn Scarlett

II

Special Trustee for American Indians

Ross O. Swimmer

a

Inspector Generalb

Earl E. Devaney

b

Assistant Secretary – Fish, Wildlife, and Parks

R. Lyle Laverty

IV

Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs

George T. Skibine (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Land and Minerals Management

C. Stephen Allred

IV

Assistant Secretary – Policy, Management, and Budget/Chief Financial Officerc

Vacantd

IV

Assistant Secretary – Water and Science

Kameran L. Onley (A)

IV

Chairman – National Indian Gaming Commissione

Philip N. Hogen

IV

Solicitor

David L. Bernhardt

IV

Director – National Park Service

Mary A. Bomar

V

Director – Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

Brent T. Wahlquist (A)

V

Commissioner – Bureau of Reclamation

Robert W. Johnson

V

Director – Bureau of Land Management

James L. Caswell

V

Director – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

H. Dale Hall

V

Director – U.S. Geological Survey

Mark Myers

V

Commissioner - Indian Affairsf

Vacant

V

a. The Special Trustee is to be paid "at a rate determined by the Secretary to be appropriate for the position, but not less than the rate of basic pay payable at Level II of the Executive Schedule..." (25 U.S.C. § 4042).

b. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

c. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)).

d. The previous individual who held the position of Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget also served as the Chief Financial Officer. Because this Assistant Secretary position was vacant after that individual left the department, so was the position of the Chief Financial Officer.

e. This position has a three-year term, specified qualifications. The President's removal power is limited. See 25 U.S.C. § 2704(b).

f. This position (provided for at 25 U.S.C. § 1) had been vacant since 1981.

DOI Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Carl Joseph Artman

Asst. Secy. – Indian Affairs

01/09/07

03/05/07

55

John Ray Correll

Dir. – Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

01/09/07

Withdrawn 06/28/07

R. Lyle Laverty

Asst. Secy. – Fish and Wildlifea

03/26/07

10/29/07

217

James L. Caswell

Dir. – Bureau of Land Management

06/04/07

08/03/07

60

Brent T. Wahlquist

Dir. – Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

06/28/07

08/03/07

36

Kameran L. Onley

Asst. Secy. – Water and Science

03/31/08

Returned 01/02/09b

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

92

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

58

a. As noted in the text of this report, position titles occasionally differ across the two tables provided for each department. In the Interior Department, the Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (listed in the incumbents table above) is the same position as the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife listed in this nomination table.

b. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.


Department of Justice (DOJ)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Positiona

Incumbent

Pay Level

Attorney General

Michael B. Mukasey

I

Deputy Attorney General

Mark R. Filip

II

Director – Federal Bureau of Investigationb

Robert S. Mueller III

II

Administrator – Drug Enforcement

Michele M. Leonhart (A)

III

Associate Attorney General

Kevin J. O'Connor

III

Solicitor General

Gregory G. Garre

III

Director – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosivesc

Michael J. Sullivan (A)

III

Inspector Generald

Glenn A. Fine

d

Assistant Attorney General – Antitrust Division

Deborah A. Garza (A)

IV

Assistant Attorney General – Civil Division

Gregory G. Katsas

IV

Assistant Attorney General – Civil Rights Division

Grace C. Becker (A)

IV

Assistant Attorney General – Criminal Division

Matthew W. Friedrich (A)

IV

Assistant Attorney General – Environment and Natural Resources Division

Ronald J. Tenpas

IV

Assistant Attorney General – Legislative Affairs

Keith B. Nelson (A)

IV

Assistant Attorney General – National Security Division

J. Patrick Rowan

IV

Assistant Attorney General – Office of Justice Programs

Jeffrey L. Sedgwick

IV

Assistant Attorney General – Office of Legal Counsel

Steven G. Bradbury (A)

IV

Assistant Attorney General – Office of Legal Policy

Elisebeth C. Cook

IV

Assistant Attorney General – Tax Division

Nathan J. Hochman

IV

Administrator – Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

J. Robert Flores

IV

Deputy Administrator – Drug Enforcement Administration

Michele M. Leonhart

IV

Director – Bureau of Justice Assistance

Domingo S. Herraiz

IV

Director – Bureau of Justice Statistics

Michael Sinclair (A)

IV

Director – Community Relations Servicee

Ondray T. Harris

IV

Director – National Institute of Justice

David W. Hagy

IV

Director – Office for Victims of Crime

John W. Gillis

IV

Director – U.S. Marshals Service

John F. Clark

IV

Special Counsel – Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practicesf

Patrick P. Shen

g

Director - Violence Against Women Office

Cynthia Dyer

V

a. Does not include U.S. attorney and U.S. marshal positions. The position of chief financial officer (CFO) is also not listed here. Although the Department of Justice is included in the statute that provides presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed CFOs for all of the major executive branch agencies (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)), this provision is superseded by 28 U.S.C. § 507. The latter section provides that the Assistant Attorney General for Administration, appointed by the Attorney General with the approval of the President, shall be the CFO for the Department of Justice.

b. This position has a 10-year term. See 28 U.S.C. § 532 note.

c. The position of Director – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives became a presidential appointment with Senate confirmation position (PAS) in P.L. 109-177, Title V § 504 (120 Stat. 247). As of the end of the 110th Congress, the position had not been filled through the advice and consent process.

d. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

e. This position has a four-year term. See 42 U.S.C. § 2000g.

f. This position has a four-year term. See 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(c)(1).

g. "The Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices is entitled to receive compensation at a rate not to exceed the rate now or hereafter provided for grade GS-17 of the General Schedule," under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(c)(3). In 1990, Sec. 529 of P.L. 101-509 converted the GS-16, GS-17, and GS-18 positions to Senior Level (SL) positions for the purposes of pay (5 U.S.C. § 5376). With regard to pay for such positions, the Plum Book states, "Pay for SL [Senior Level] positions ranges from 120 percent of the rate of basic pay for GS-15, step 1 to the rate payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule. ... SL employees are entitled to locality-based comparability payments for their respective locality pay area. The employee's locality rate of pay may not exceed the pay for level III of the Executive Schedule" (p. 203).

DOJ Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

William W. Mercer

Associate Attorney General

01/09/07

Withdrawn 06/25/07

Steven G. Bradbury

Asst. Atty. General – Office of Legal Counsel

01/09/07

Returned 12/31/07a

Patrick P. Shen

Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices

01/18/07

10/04/07

259

Michael J. Sullivan

Dir. – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

03/22/07

Returned 01/02/09b

Ondray T. Harris

Dir. – Community Relations Service

05/23/07

03/13/08

295

Ronald J. Tenpas

Asst. Atty. General – Environment and Natural Resources Division

06/04/07

12/13/07

192

David W. Hagy

Dir. – National Institute of Justice

06/05/07

03/13/08

282

Cynthia Dyer

Dir. – Violence Against Women Office

08/20/07

12/19/07

121

Michael B. Mukasey

Attorney General

09/21/07

11/08/07

48

Nathan J. Hochman

Asst. Atty. General – Tax Division

11/15/07

12/19/07

34

Grace C. Becker

Asst. Atty. General – Civil Rights Division

11/15/07

Returned 01/02/09b

Mark R. Filip

Deputy Attorney General

12/05/07

03/03/08

89

Gregory G. Katsas

Asst. Atty. General – Civil Division

12/11/07

06/27/08

199

Kevin J. O'Connor

Associate Attorney General

12/11/07

04/01/08

112

Steven G. Bradbury

Asst. Atty. General – Office of Legal Counsel

01/23/08

Returned 01/02/09b

Elisebeth C. Cook

Asst. Atty. General – Office of Legal Policy

01/30/08

06/04/08

126

Michele M. Leonhart

Admin. – Drug Enforcement

04/15/08

Returned 01/02/09b

Jeffrey L. Sedgwick

Asst. Atty. General – Office of Justice Programs

04/23/08

10/02/08

162

J. Patrick Rowan

Asst. Atty. General – National Security Division

06/19/08

09/26/08

99

Gregory G. Garre

Solicitor General

06/19/08

10/02/08

105

Matthew W. Friedrich

Asst. Atty. General – Criminal Division

12/11/08

Returned 01/02/09b

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

152

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

124

a. Returned to the President at the end of the first session of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

b. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.


Department of Labor (DOL)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Elaine L. Chao

I

Deputy Secretary

Howard M. Radzely

II

Inspector Generala

Gordon S. Heddell

a

Assistant Secretary – Administration and Management

Patrick Pizzella

IV

Assistant Secretary – Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

Kristine A. Iverson

IV

Assistant Secretary – Disability Employment Policy

Neil Romano

IV

Assistant Secretary – Employee Benefits Security Administration

Bradford P. Campbell

IV

Assistant Secretary – Employment and Training Administration

Brent R. Orrell (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Employment Standards Administration

Victoria A. Lipnic

IV

Assistant Secretary – Mine Safety and Health

Richard E. Stickler (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Thomas M. Stohler (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Public Affairs

David W. James

IV

Assistant Secretary – Policy

Leon R. Sequeira

IV

Assistant Secretary – Veterans' Employment and Training Service

Charles S. Ciccolella

IV

Chief Financial Officerb

Douglas W. Webster

IV

Commissioner – Bureau of Labor Statisticsc

Keith D. Hall

IV

Solicitor

Gregory F. Jacob

IV

Administrator – Wage and Hour Division

Alexander Passantino (A)

V

Director – Women's Bureaud

Shinae Chun

e

a. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

b. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). Webster was confirmed as CFO in the 110th Congress.

c. This position has a four-year term. See 29 U.S.C. § 3.

d. By statute, the incumbent must be a woman (29 U.S.C. § 12).

e. According to the 2008 Plum Book, the Director of the Women's Bureau was a Senior Level (SL) position (p. 108). With regard to pay for such positions, the Plum Book states, "Pay for SL [Senior Level] positions ranges from 120 percent of the rate of basic pay for GS-15, step 1 to the rate payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule. ... SL employees are entitled to locality-based comparability payments for their respective locality pay area. The employee's locality rate of pay may not exceed the pay for level III of the Executive Schedule" (p. 203). See also 5 U.S.C. 5376 and 5 U.S.C. 5304(g)(2).

DOL Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Paul DeCamp

Administrator – Wage and Hour Division

01/09/07

Withdrawn 02/07/08

Leon R. Sequeira

Asst. Secy. – Policy

01/09/07

02/15/07

37

Richard Stickler

Asst. Secy. – Mine Safety and Health

01/09/07

Returned 01/02/09a

Bradford P. Campbell

Asst. Secy. – Employee Benefits Security Administration

05/03/07

08/03/07

92

Howard Radzely

Deputy Secretary

05/10/07

12/19/07

223

David W. James

Asst. Secy. – Public Affairs

06/18/07

08/03/07

46

Gregory F. Jacob

Solicitor

09/04/07

12/19/07

106

Keith Hall

Commissioner – Labor Statistics

09/18/07

12/19/07

92

Douglas W. Webster

Chief Financial Officer

09/27/07

12/19/07

83

Neil Romano

Asst. Secy. – Disability Employment Policy

12/03/07

03/12/08

100

Alexander Passantino

Administrator – Wage and Hour Division

03/05/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Brent R. Orrell

Asst. Secy. – Employment and Training Administration

06/19/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

97

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

92

a. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.


Department of State (DOS)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Positiona

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Condoleezza Rice

I

Deputy Secretary

John D. Negroponte

II

Deputy Secretary – Management and Resourcesb

Vacant

II

Under Secretary – Arms Control and International Security

John C. Rood (A)

III

Under Secretary – Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs

Reuben Jeffrey III

III

Under Secretary – Democracy and Global Affairs

Paula J. Dobriansky

III

Under Secretary – Management

Patrick F. Kennedy

III

Under Secretary – Political Affairs

William J. Burns

III

Under Secretary – Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

James K. Glassman

III

Ambassador-at-Large – International Religious Freedom

John V. Hanford III

III

Inspector Generalc

Howard W. Geisel (A)

c

Ambassador-at-Large/Director – Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

Mark P. Lagon

IV

Ambassador-at-Large – War Crimes Issues

J. Clint Williamson

IV

Ambassador-at-Large/Coordinator – Counterterrorism

Dell L. Dailey

IV

Coordinator – U.S. Global AIDS

Mark R. Dybul

IV

Chief of Protocol

Nancy G. Brinker

IV

Assistant Secretary – Administration

Rajkumar Chellaraj

IV

Assistant Secretary – African Affairs

Jendayi E. Frazer

IV

Assistant Secretary – Consular Affairs

Janice L. Jacobs

IV

Assistant Secretary – Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

David J. Kramer

IV

Assistant Secretary – Diplomatic Security/Director – Office of Foreign Missionsd

Eric J. Boswell

IV

Assistant Secretary – East Asian and Pacific Affairs

Christopher R. Hill

IV

Assistant Secretary – Economic, Energy and Business Affairs

Daniel S. Sullivan

IV

Assistant Secretary – Educational and Cultural Affairs

Goli Ameri

IV

Assistant Secretary – European and Eurasian Affairs

Daniel Fried

IV

Assistant Secretary – Intelligence and Research

Randall M. Fort

IV

Assistant Secretary – International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

David T. Johnson

IV

Assistant Secretary – International Information Programs

Vacant

IV

Assistant Secretary – International Organization Affairs

Brian H. Hook

IV

Assistant Secretary – International Security and Nonproliferation

John C. Rood

IV

Assistant Secretary – Legislative Affairs

Matthew A. Reynolds

IV

Assistant Secretary – Near Eastern Affairs

C. David Welch

IV

Assistant Secretary – Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs

Claudia A. McMurray

IV

Assistant Secretary – Political-Military Affairs

Mark Kimmitt

IV

Assistant Secretary – Population, Refugees, and Migration Affairs

Vacant

IV

Assistant Secretary – Public Affairs

Sean I. McCormack

IV

Assistant Secretary – Resource Management/Chief Financial Officere

Bradford R. Higgins

IV

Assistant Secretary – South and Central Asian Affairs

Richard A. Boucher

IV

Assistant Secretary – Verification, Compliance, and Implementation

Paula A. DeSutter

IV

Assistant Secretary – Western Hemisphere Affairs

Thomas A. Shannon Jr.

IV

Director General – Foreign Service f

Harry K. Thomas Jr.

IV

Legal Adviser

John B. Bellinger III

IV

International Organizations

U.S. Representative – United Nations (U.N.)

Zalmay Khalilzad

II

U.S. Representative – Organization of American States

Hector E. Morales

g

U.S. Deputy Representative – U.N.

Alejandro D. Wolff

III

U.S. Representative – Economic and Social Council – U.N.

T. Vance McMahan

IV

U.S. Representative – Management and Reform – U.N.

Vacant

IV

U.S. Alternative Representative – Special Political Affairs – U.N.

Rosemary A. DiCarlo

IV

a. The positions in this column do not include chiefs of mission in overseas posts or Foreign Service officers. In addition, certain officers of the State Department may be required to have certain qualifications. See 22 USCS § 2651a(g).

b. The position of Deputy Secretary – Management and Resources in the Department of State was established by P.L. 106-553, § 404(a) (114 Stat. 2762A-96), enacted December 21, 2000. As of the end of the 110th Congress, this position had never been filled.

c. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

d. From 1998 through the end of the 110th Congress, each time an individual has been nominated to and confirmed for the position of Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security, he has simultaneously been nominated to and confirmed for the position of Director of Foreign Missions.

e. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). With regard to State Department appointments, since 2001 through the 110th Congress, the same individual had been separately and simultaneously nominated for, and confirmed to, the positions of CFO and Assistant Secretary for Resource Management.

f. By law, incumbent must be a current or former career senior Foreign Service officer (22 U.S.C. § 3928).

g. The salary for the U.S. Representative to the Organization of American States is linked to the pay for Chiefs of Mission. For this particular mission/ambassador, the salary is set based on the Executive Schedule Level III.

DOS Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Ellen R. Sauerbrey

Asst. Secy. – Population, Refugees, and Migration

01/09/07

Returned 01/02/09a

John D. Negroponte

Deputy Secy.

01/22/07

02/12/07

21

Zalmay Khalilzad

U.S. Representative – U.N.

02/12/07

03/29/07

45

Henry Bonilla

U.S. Representative – Organization of American States

03/15/07

Withdrawn 06/05/07

Dell L. Dailey

Coordinator – Counterterrorism/ Ambassador-at-Large

03/15/07

06/22/07

99

Mark P. Lagon

Director – Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking/Ambassador-at-Largeb

03/15/07

05/25/07

71

John C. Rood

Under Secy. – Arms Control and International Security

03/22/07

Returned 01/02/09a

Reuben Jeffrey III

Under Secy. – Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs

04/18/07

06/22/07

65

Nancy G. Brinker

Chief of Protocol

06/18/07

09/12/07

86

Mark Kimmitt

Asst. Secy. – Political-Military Affairs

07/11/07

06/27/08

352

David T. Johnson

Asst. Secy. – International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

07/19/07

10/26/07

99

Harry K. Thomas Jr.

Director General – Foreign Service

07/25/07

09/12/07

49

Patrick F. Kennedy

Under Secy. – Management

10/16/07

11/06/07

21

Goli Ameri

Asst. Secy. – Educational and Cultural Affairs

11/15/07

03/13/08

119

Hector E. Morales

U.S. Representative – Organization of American States

12/04/07

03/06/08

93

James K. Glassman

Under Secy. – Public Diplomacyb

12/11/07

06/04/08

176

David J. Kramer

Asst. Secy. – Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

12/14/07

03/13/08

90

T. Vance McMahan

U.S. Representative – Economic and Social Council – U.N.

03/13/08

06/27/08

106

William J. Burns

Under Secy. – Political Affairs

04/02/08

05/08/08

36

Janice L. Jacobs

Asst. Secy. – Consular Affairs

04/02/08

06/04/08

63

Eric J. Boswell

Asst. Secy. – Diplomatic Security/Director – Office of Foreign Missions

04/29/08

06/27/08

59

Rosemary A. DiCarlo

U.S. Alternative Representative – Special Political Affairs – U.N.

05/13/08

06/27/08

45

Matthew A. Reynolds

Asst. Secy. – Legislative Affairs

06/26/08

10/02/08

98

Thomas A. Betro

Inspector General

06/27/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Brian H. Hook

Asst. Secy. – International Organization Affairs

06/27/08

10/02/08

97

Gregori Lebedev

U.S. Representative – Management and Reform – U.N.

08/01/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Michael S. Doran

Asst. Secy. – International Information Programs

09/26/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

90

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

86

a. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

b. As noted in the text of this report, position titles occasionally differ across the two tables provided for each department. In the State Department, the Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (listed in the incumbents table above) is the same position as the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking listed in this nomination table. The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (listed in the incumbents table above) is the same position as the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy listed here.


Department of Transportation (DOT)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Mary E. Peters

I

Deputy Secretary

Thomas J. Barrett

II

Under Secretary – Policy

Tyler D. Duvall (A)

II

Administrator – Federal Aviation Administrationa

Robert A. Sturgell (A)

II

Administrator – Federal Highway Administration

Thomas J. Madison Jr.

II

Administrator – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

John H. Hill

III

Administrator – Federal Railroad Administration

Vacant

III

Administrator – Federal Transit Administration

Vacant

III

Administrator – Maritime Administration

Sean T. Connaughton

III

Administrator – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Vacant

III

Administrator – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Carl T. Johnson

III

Administrator – Research and Innovative Technology Administration

Paul R. Brubaker

III

Inspector Generalb

Calvin L. Scovel

b

Administrator – Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporationc

Collister Johnson Jr.

IV

Assistant Secretary – Aviation and International Affairs

Michael W. Reynolds (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Budget and Programs/Chief Financial Officerd

Phyllis F. Scheinberg

IV

Assistant Secretary – Governmental Affairs

Vacant

IV

Assistant Secretary – Transportation Policy

Tyler D. Duvall

IV

Deputy Administrator – Federal Aviation Administratione

Ruth Leverentz (A)

IV

General Counsel

David J. Gribbin IV

IV

a. This position has a five-year term and specified qualifications. See 49 U.S.C. § 106.

b. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

c. This position has a seven-year term. See 33 U.S.C. § 982(a).

d. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). Scheinberg was confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and designated to serve as CFO.

e. This position has specified qualifications. See 49 U.S.C. § 106.

DOT Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

David J. Gribbin IV

General Counsel

01/11/07

06/20/07

160

Thomas J. Barrett

Deputy Secy.

06/11/07

08/08/07

58

Paul R. Brubaker

Admin. – Research and Innovative Technology Administration

06/18/07

08/03/07

46

Simon C. Gros

Asst. Secy. – Governmental Affairs

10/16/07

06/27/08

255

Robert A. Sturgell

Admin. – Federal Aviation Administration

10/23/07

Returned 01/02/09a

Carl T. Johnson

Admin. – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

11/01/07

12/19/07

48

Tyler D. Duvall

Under Secy. – Policy

03/31/08

Returned 01/02/09a

John P. Hewko

Asst. Secy. – Aviation and International Affairs

04/02/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Thomas J. Madison Jr.

Admin. – Federal Highway Administration

07/15/08

08/01/08

17

David Kelly

Admin. – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

09/28/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Robert A. DeHaan

Asst. Secy. – Transportation Policy

11/17/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

97

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

53

a. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate


Department of the Treasury (TREAS)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

Henry M. Paulson Jr.

I

Deputy Secretary

Robert M. Kimmitt

II

Commissioner of Internal Revenuea

Douglas H. Shulman

III

Comptroller of the Currencyb

John C. Dugan

III

Director – Office of Thrift Supervisionc

John M. Reich

III

Inspector Generald

Eric M. Thorson

d

Inspector General – Tax Administrationd

J. Russell George

d

Special Inspector General – Troubled Asset Relief Programde

Neil M. Barofsky

d

Under Secretary – Domestic Finance

Anthony W. Ryan (A)

III

Under Secretary – Terrorism and Financial Intelligencef

Stuart A. Levey

III

Under Secretary – International Affairs

David H. McCormick

III

Assistant Secretary – Economic Policy

Phillip L. Swagel

IV

Assistant Secretary – Financial Institutions

David G. Nason

IV

Assistant Secretary – Financial Markets

Karthik Ramanathan (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Intelligence and Analysis

Janice B. Gardner

IV

Assistant Secretary – International Economics and Development/Assistant Secretary (Interim) – Financial Stabilityg

Neel T. Kashkari

IV

Assistant Secretary – Management/Chief Financial Officer h

Peter B. McCarthy

IV

Assistant Secretary – Public Affairs

Michele A. Davis

IV

Assistant Secretary – Tax Policy

Eric Solomon

IV

Assistant Secretary – Terrorist Financing

Patrick M. O'Brien

IV

Assistant Secretary – International Affairsi

Clay Lowery

IV

Assistant Secretary – Legislative Affairsi

Kevin I. Fromer

IV

General Counsel

Robert F. Hoyt

IV

Chief Counsel – Internal Revenue Service/Assistant General Counsel for Tax

Donald L. Korb

V

Director of the Mintj

Edmund C. Moy

SLk

Treasurer of the United States

Anna E. Cabral

SLk

a. This position has a five-year term and specified qualifications. See 26 U.S.C. § 7803(a)(1).

b. This position has a five-year term, and a limitation on the President's removal power. See 12 U.S.C. § 2.

c. This position has a five-year term and specified qualifications. See 12 U.S.C. § 1462a(c).

d. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

e. The position of Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program was established by P.L. 110-343, Division A, Title 1, § 121, (122 Stat.3788). The position was first filled in the 110th Congress as shown. The Special Inspector General has the same removal provisions as other inspectors general (see footnote d, above).

f. The position of Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Crimes (called Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence) was established by P.L. 108-447, Division H, Title II, § 222 (118 Stat. 3242). The Under Secretary was the successor office to the Office of Enforcement, and the incumbent in that office, Stuart A. Levey, continued to serve.

g. The position of Interim Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability was established by P.L. 110-343, Division A, Title I, § 101(a)(3)(A), (122 Stat. 3767). The position was first filled in the 110th Congress as shown.

h. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). McCarthy was confirmed for the position of Assistant Secretary for Management and designated as CFO.

i. The U.S. Code provides that the department has two deputy under secretaries appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. "When appointing each Deputy Under Secretary, the President may designate the Deputy Under Secretary as an Assistant Secretary" (31 U.S.C. § 301(d)). In each of these two cases, the President did so.

j. The position has a five-year term and a limitation on the President's removal power. See 31 U.S.C. § 304.

k. According to the 2008 Plum Book, the Director of the United States Mint and the Treasurer of the United States were both Senior Level positions (p. 132). With regard to pay for such positions, the Plum Book states, "Pay for SL [Senior Level] positions ranges from 120 percent of the rate of basic pay for GS-15, step 1 to the rate payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule. ... SL employees are entitled to locality-based comparability payments for their respective locality pay area. The employee's locality rate of pay may not exceed the pay for level III of the Executive Schedule" (p.203). See also 5 U.S.C. 5376 and 5 U.S.C. 5304(g)(2).

TREAS Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

David G. Nason

Asst. Secy. – Financial Institutions

03/05/07

06/05/07

92

Peter B. McCarthy

Asst. Secy. – Management

04/10/07

08/01/07

113

David H. McCormick

Under Secy. – International Affairs

06/04/07

08/01/07

58

Neel T. Kashkari

Asst. Secy. – International Economics and Development/Asst. Secy. (Interim) – Financial Stability

11/15/07

06/27/08

225

Eric M. Thorson

Inspector General

11/15/07

08/01/08

260

Douglas H. Shulman

Commissioner – Internal Revenue

12/11/07

03/13/08

93

Anthony W. Ryan

Under Secy. – Domestic Finance

07/31/08

Returned 01/02/09a

Neil M. Barofsky

Special Inspector General – Troubled Asset Relief Program

11/17/08

12/08/08

21

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

123

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

93

a. Returned to the President at the end of the 110th Congress under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA)

Full-Time PAS Positions, as of the End of the 110th Congress

Position

Incumbent

Pay Level

Secretary

James B. Peake

I

Deputy Secretary

Gordon H. Mansfield

II

Inspector Generala

George J. Opfer

a

Under Secretary – Benefits

Patrick W. Dunne

III

Under Secretary – Health

Michael J. Kussman

III

Under Secretary – Memorial Affairs

William F. Tuerk

III

Assistant Secretary – Congressional and Legislative Affairs

Christine O. Hill

IV

Assistant Secretary – Human Resources and Administration

Vacant

IV

Assistant Secretary – Information and Technology

Robert T. Howard

IV

Assistant Secretary – Management/Chief Financial Officerb

Robert J. Henke

IV

Assistant Secretary – Operations, Preparedness, Security, and Law Enforcementc

Charles L. Hopkins

IV

Assistant Secretary – Policy and Planning

Karen Pane (A)

IV

Assistant Secretary – Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

Lisette M. Mondello

IV

Chairman – Board of Veterans' Appealsd

James P. Terry

IV

General Counsel

John A. Thompson (A)

IV

a. The President may remove an inspector general (IG) from office, as he may remove most other appointed officials in the departments. In the case of an IG, however, the law provides that "[i]f an Inspector General is removed from office or is transferred to another position or location within an establishment, the President shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer." (5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (b)). Under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. Appx. § 3 (e), "The annual rate of basic pay for an inspector general (as defined under section 12(3)) shall be the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, United States Code, plus 3 percent."

b. The chief financial officer (CFO) may be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, or may be designated by the President from among agency officials who have been confirmed by the Senate for other positions (31 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1)). Henke was confirmed for the position of Assistant Secretary for Management and designated as CFO.

c. The position of Assistant Secretary for Operations, Preparedness, Security, and Law Enforcement was established by P.L. 107-287, Section 5 (116 Stat. 2030), and filled for the first time during the 110th Congress, as shown.

d. This position has a six-year term and limitations on the President's removal power. See 38 U.S.C. § 7101(b).

DVA Nomination Action During the 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Nominated

Confirmed

Days to Confirm

Thomas E. Harvey

Asst. Secy. – Congressional Affairsa

01/09/07

05/25/07

136

Michael J. Kussman

Under Secy. – Health

04/10/07

05/25/07

45

Charles L. Hopkins

Asst. Secy. – Operations, Preparedness, Security and Law Enforcement

04/11/07

08/01/07

112

Paul J. Hutter

General Counsel

06/28/07

10/04/07

98

Michael W. Hager

Asst. Secy. – Human Resources and Managementa

09/18/07

11/16/07

59

James B. Peake

Secretary

11/15/07

12/14/07

29

Christine O. Hill

Asst. Secy. – Congressional Affairsa

04/23/08

10/02/08

162

Patrick W. Dunne

Under Secy. – Benefits

07/30/08

10/02/08

64

Mean number of days to confirm a nomination

88

Median number of days to confirm a nomination

81

a. As noted in the text of this report, position titles occasionally differ across the two tables provided for each department. In the Veterans Affairs Department, the Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs (listed in the incumbents table above) is the same position as the Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs listed in this nomination table. The Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration (listed in the incumbents table above) is the same position as the Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Management listed here.

Appendix A. Presidential Nominations, 110th Congress

Nominee

Position

Department

Nomination Date

Confirmation Date

Days to Confirm

Clarence H. Albright Jr.

Under Secy.

DOE

06/21/07

08/03/07

43

Goli Ameri

Asst. Secy. – Education and Cultural Affairs

DOS

11/15/07

03/13/08

119

Carl Joseph Artman

Asst. Secy.

DOI

01/09/07

03/05/07

55

Neil M. Barofsky

Special Inspector General – Troubled Asset Relief Program

TREAS

11/17/08

12/08/08

21

Thomas J. Barrett

Deputy Secy.

DOT

06/11/07

08/08/07

58

Grace C. Becker

Asst. Atty. General – Civil Rights Division

DOJ

11/15/07

Returned 01/02/09

Joseph A. Benkert

Asst. Secy. – International Security Policy

DOD

02/25/08

07/23/08

149

Thomas A. Betro

Inspector General

DOS

06/27/08

Returned 01/02/09

Anita K. Blair

Asst. Secy. – Air Force – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

DOD

01/09/07

Withdrawn 09/18/07

Anita K. Blair

Asst. Secy. – Navy – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

DOD

09/18/07

Returned 12/31/07

Anita K. Blair

Asst. Secy. – Navy – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

DOD

01/23/08

Returned 01/02/09

Henry Bonilla

U.S. Representative – Organization of American States

DOS

03/15/07

Withdrawn 06/05/07

Eric J. Boswell

Asst. Secy. – Diplomatic Security/Director – Office of Foreign Missions

DOS

04/29/08

06/27/08

59

Steven G. Bradbury

Asst. Atty. General – Office of Legal Counsel

DOJ

01/09/07

Returned 12/31/07

Steven G. Bradbury

Asst. Atty. General – Office of Legal Counsel

DOJ

01/23/08

Returned 01/02/09

William J. Brennan

Asst. Secy. – Oceans and Atmosphere

DOC

01/22/08

06/4/08

134

Jerry G. Bridges

Inspector General

ED

09/09/08

Returned 01/02/09

Kerri L. Briggs

Asst. Secy. – Elementary and Secondary Education

ED

03/07/07

06/22/07

107

Nancy G. Brinker

Chief of Protocol

DOS

06/18/07

09/12/07

86

Douglas A. Brook

Asst. Secy. – Navy – Financial Management/Comptroller

DOD

06/05/07

11/16/07

164

Paul R. Brubaker

Admin. – Research and Innovative Technology Administration

DOT

06/18/07

08/03/07

46

Michael J. Burns

Asst. to the Secretary – Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs

DOD

01/09/07

Withdrawn 06/11/07

William J. Burns

Under Secy. – Political Affairs

DOS

04/02/08

05/08/08

36

Gregory B. Cade

Admin. – U.S. Fire Administration

DHS

01/09/07

05/25/07

136

Bradford P. Campbell

Asst. Secy. – Employee Benefits Security Administration

DOL

05/03/07

08/03/07

92

S. Ward Casscells

Asst. Secy. – Health Affairs

DOD

02/26/07

03/29/07

31

James L. Caswell

Dir. – Bureau of Land Management

DOI

06/04/07

08/03/07

60

Frederick S. Celec

Asst. to the Secretary – Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs

DOD

06/10/08

07/23/08

43

Lily F. Claffee

General Counsel

DOC

03/31/08

06/04/08

65

James R. Clapper Jr.

Under Secy. – Intelligence

DOD

01/29/07

04/11/07

72

Gus P. Coldebella

General Counsel

DHS

10/16/07

Returned 01/02/09

Elisebeth C. Cook

Asst. Atty. General – Office of Legal Policy

DOJ

01/30/08

06/04/08

126

J. Gregory Copeland

General Counsel

DOE

01/22/08

Withdrawn 06/24/08

John Ray Correll

Dir. – Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

DOI

01/09/07

Withdrawn 06/28/07

Robert M. Couch

General Counsel

HUD

04/10/07

06/13/07

64

Thomas P. D'Agostino

Under Secy. – Nuclear Security/Admin, NNSA

DOE

05/21/07

08/01/07

72

Dell L. Dailey

Coordinator – Counterterrorism

DOS

03/15/07

06/22/07

99

Paul DeCamp

Administrator – Wage and Hour Division

DOL

01/09/07

Withdrawn 02/07/08

Robert A. DeHaan

Asst. Secy. – Transportation Policy

DOT

11/17/08

Returned 01/02/09

Rosemary A. DiCarlo

U.S. Alternative Representative – Special Political Affairs – U.N.

DOS

05/13/08

06/27/08

45

Michael B. Donley

Secretary – Air Force

DOD

06/25/08

10/02/08

99

Michael S. Doran

Asst. Secy. – International Information Programs

DOS

09/26/08

Returned 01/02/09

Craig W. Duehring

Asst. Secy. – Air Force – Manpower and Reserve Affairs

DOD

11/15/07

12/19/07

34

Elaine C. Duke

Under Secy. – Management

DHS

04/02/08

06/27/08

86

Patrick W. Dunne

Under Secy. – Benefits

DVA

07/30/08

10/02/08

64

Tyler D. Duvall

Under Secy. – Policy

DOT

03/31/08

Returned 01/02/09

Cynthia Dyer

Dir. – Violence Against Women Office

DOJ

08/20/07

12/19/07

121

Lisa E. Epifani

Asst. Secy. – Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

DOE

06/13/07

08/03/07

51

Williamson Evers

Asst. Secy. – Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development

ED

02/08/07

10/16/07

250

Mark R. Filip

Deputy Attorney General

DOJ

12/05/07

03/03/08

89

Nelson M. Ford

Under Secy. – Army

DOD

01/22/08

07/23/08

183

Matthew W. Friedrich

Asst. Atty. General – Criminal Division

DOJ

12/11/08

Returned 01/02/09

Joxel Garcia

Asst. Secy. – Health

HHS

01/22/08

03/13/08

51

Regory G. Garre

Solicitor General

DOJ

06/19/08

10/02/08

105

Preston M. Geren

Secretary – Army

DOD

05/24/07

07/13/07

50

John H. Gibson

Asst. Secy. – Air Force – Financial Management/Comptroller

DOD

10/26/07

12/19/07

54

James K. Glassman

Under Secy. – Public Diplomacy

DOS

12/11/07

06/04/08

176

Sheila M. Greenwood

Asst. Secy. – Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

HUD

02/26/08

06/27/08

122

David J. Gribbin IV

General Counsel

DOT

01/11/07

06/20/07

160

Charles W. Grim

Director – Indian Health Service

HHS

05/21/07

Withdrawn 09/04/07

Simon C. Gros

Asst. Secy. – Governmental Affairs

DOT

10/16/07

06/27/08

255

Michael W. Hager

Asst. Secy. – Human Resources and Management

DVA

09/18/07

11/16/07

59

David W. Hagy

Dir. – National Institute of Justice

DOJ

06/05/07

03/13/08

282

Keith Hall

Commissioner – Labor Statistics

DOL

09/18/07

12/19/07

92

Ondray T. Harris

Dir. – Community Relations Service

DOJ

05/23/07

03/13/08

295

Thomas E. Harvey

Asst. Secy. – Congressional Affairs

DVA

01/09/07

05/25/07

136

Robert Hastings

Asst. Secy. – Public Affairs

DOD

07/10/08

Returned 01/02/09

John P. Hewko

Asst. Secy. – Aviation and International Affairs

DOT

04/02/08

Returned 01/02/09

Christine O. Hill

Asst. Secy. – Congressional Affairs

DVA

04/23/08

10/02/08

162

Nathan J. Hochman

Asst. Atty. General – Tax Division

DOJ

11/15/07

12/19/07

34

James W. Holsinger Jr.

Surgeon General

HHS

05/24/07

Returned 01/02/09

Brian H. Hook

Asst. Secy. – International Organization Affairs

DOS

06/27/08

10/02/08

97

Charles L. Hopkins

Asst. Secy. – Operations, Preparedness, Security and Law Enforcement

DVA

04/11/07

08/01/07

112

Paul J. Hutter

General Counsel

DVA

06/28/07

10/04/07

98

F. Chase Hutto, III

Asst. Secy. – International Affairs and Domestic Policy

DOE

09/26/08

Returned 01/02/09

Steven J. Isakowitz

Chief Financial Officer

DOE

02/08/07

05/25/07

106

Gregory F. Jacob

Solicitor

DOL

09/04/07

12/19/07

106

Janice L. Jacobs

Asst. Secy. – Consular Affairs

DOS

04/02/08

06/04/08

63

David W. James

Asst. Secy. – Public Affairs

DOL

06/18/07

08/03/07

46

Robert D. Jamison

Under Secy. – National Protection and Programs

DHS

09/04/07

Withdrawn 12/19/07

Robert D. Jamison

Under Secy. – National Protection and Programs

DHS

12/19/07

12/19/07

0

Reuben Jeffery III

Under Secy.– Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs

DOS

04/18/07

06/22/07

65

Harvey E. Johnson Jr.

Deputy Admin./ Chief Operating Officer – Federal Emergency Management Agency

DHS

09/07/07

Withdrawn 12/12/07

Harvey E. Johnson Jr.

Deputy Admin./ Chief Operating Officer – Federal Emergency Management Agency

DHS

12/12/07

06/27/08

198

Carl T. Johnson

Admin. – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

DOT

11/01/07

12/19/07

48

David T. Johnston

Asst. Secy. – International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

DOS

07/19/07

10/26/07

99

Diane A. Jones

Asst. Secy. – Postsecondary Education

ED

05/22/07

08/01/07

71

Tracy R. Justesen

Asst. Secy. – Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

ED

11/15/07

12/19/07

34

Neel T. Kashkari

Asst. Secy. – International Economics and Development/Asst. Secy. (Interim) – Financial Stability

TREAS

11/15/07

06/27/08

225

Gregory G. Katsas

Asst. Atty. General – Civil Division

DOJ

12/11/07

06/27/08

199

Scott A. Keller

Asst. Secy. – Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

HUD

01/09/07

Withdrawn 09/04/07

David Kelly

Admin. – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

DOT

09/28/08

Returned 01/02/09

Patrick F. Kennedy

Under Secy. – Management

DOS

10/16/07

11/06/07

21

Zalmay Khalilzad

U.S. Representative – U.N.

DOS

02/12/07

03/29/07

45

Claude M. Kicklighter

Inspector General

DOD

02/26/07

04/12/07

45

Mark Kimmitt

Asst. Secy. – Political-Military Affairs

DOS

07/11/07

06/27/08

352

Kevin M. Kolevar

Asst. Secy. – Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability

DOE

01/09/07

08/03/07

206

David J. Kramer

Asst. Secy. – Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

DOS

12/14/07

03/13/08

90

Jeffery F. Kupfer

Deputy Secy.

DOE

04/02/08

Returned 01/02/09

Michael K. Kussman

Under Secy. – Health

DVA

04/10/07

05/25/07

45

Holly A. Kuzmich

Asst. Secy. – Legislation and Congressional Affairs

ED

06/24/08

08/01/08

38

Mark P. Lagon

Director – Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking

DOS

03/15/07

05/25/07

71

R. Lyle Laverty

Asst. Secy. – Fish and Wildlife

DOI

03/26/07

10/29/07

217

Gregori Lebedev

U.S. Representative – Management and Reform – U.N.

DOS

08/01/08

Returned 01/02/09

Michele M. Leonhart

Admin. – Drug Enforcement

DOJ

04/15/08

Returned 01/02/09

Mary Beth Long

Asst. Secy. – International Security Affairs

DOD

11/08/07

12/19/07

41

Jane C. Luxton

Asst. Secy. – Oceans and Atmosphere

DOC

01/09/07

Withdrawn 05/03/07

Thomas J. Madison Jr.

Admin. – Federal Highway Administration

DOT

07/15/08

08/01/08

17

Mario Mancuso

Under Secy. – Export Administration

DOC

01/18/07

05/25/07

127

Christopher M. Marston

Asst. Secy. – Management

ED

06/24/08

08/01/08

38

Peter B. McCarthy

Asst. Secy. – Management

TREAS

04/10/07

08/01/07

113

David H. McCormick

Under Secy. – International Affairs

TREAS

06/04/07

08/01/07

58

T. Vance McMahan

U.S. Representative – Economic and Social Council – U.N.

DOS

03/13/08

06/27/08

106

Robert G. McSwain

Director – Indian Health Service

HHS

12/19/07

04/29/08

132

William W. Mercer

Associate Attorney General

DOJ

01/09/07

Withdrawn 06/25/07

Daniel Meron

General Counsel

HHS

01/09/07

Returned 01/02/09

Hector E. Morales

U.S. Representative – Organization of American States

DOS

12/04/07

03/06/08

93

Michael B. Mukasey

Attorney General

DOJ

09/21/07

11/08/07

48

Steven H. Murdock

Dir. - Census

DOC

06/18/07

12/19/07

184

Joseph J. Murin

President – Government National Mortgage Association

HUD

10/16/07

06/27/08

255

Julie L. Myers

Asst. Secy. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

DHS

01/09/07

12/19/07

344

David G. Nason

Asst. Secy. – Financial Institutions

TREAS

03/05/07

06/05/07

92

John D. Negroponte

Deputy Secy.

DOS

01/22/07

02/12/07

21

Kevin J. O'Connor

Associate Attorney General

DOJ

12/11/07

04/01/08

112

Kameran L. Onley

Asst. Secy. – Water and Science

DOI

03/31/08

Returned 01/02/09

Brent R. Orrell

Asst. Secy. – Employment and Training Administration

DOL

06/19/08

Returned 01/02/09

William C. Ostendorff

Principal Deputy Administrator, NNSA

DOE

02/26/07

03/29/07

31

Christopher A. Padilla

Under Secy. – International Trade

DOC

09/04/07

12/19/07

106

Alexander Passantino

Administrator – Wage and Hour Division

DOL

03/05/08

Returned 01/02/09

Neil S. Patel

Asst. Secy. – Communications and Information

DOC

03/05/08

Returned 01/02/09

James B. Peake

Secretary

DVA

11/15/07

12/14/07

29

Christina H. Pearson

Asst. Secy. – Public Affairs

HHS

09/25/07

12/19/07

85

Susan D. Peppler

Asst. Secy. – Community Planning and Development

HUD

02/06/08

06/27/08

142

Steven C. Preston

Secretary

HUD

05/01/08

06/04/08

34

Howard Radzely

Deputy Secretary

DOL

05/10/07

12/19/07

223

Diane D. Rath

Asst. Secy. – Family Support

HHS

07/11/07

Returned 01/02/09

Matthew A. Reynolds

Asst. Secy. – Legislative Affairs

DOS

06/26/08

10/02/08

98

Neil Romano

Asst. Secy. – Disability Employment Policy

DOL

12/03/07

03/12/08

100

John C. Rood

Under Secy. – Arms Control and International Security

DOS

03/22/07

Returned 01/02/09

J. Patrick Rowan

Asst. Atty. General - National Security Division

DOJ

06/19/08

09/26/08

99

Jeffery W. Runge

Asst. Secy. – Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer

DHS

08/02/07

12/19/07

139

Anthony W. Ryan

Under Secy. – Domestic Finance

TREAS

07/31/08

Returned 01/02/09

Benjamin E. Sasse

Asst. Secy. – Planning and Evaluation

HHS

07/26/07

12/19/07

146

Ellen R. Sauerbrey

Asst. Secy. – Population, Refugees, and Migration

DOS

01/09/07

Returned 01/02/09

Ed Schafer

Secretary

USDA

12/06/07

01/28/08

53

Jonathan R. Scharfen

Dir. – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

DHS

10/01/08

Returned 01/02/09

Paul A. Schneider

Deputy Secy.

DHS

02/26/08

06/04/08

99

Jeffrey L. Sedgwick

Asst. Atty. General – Office of Justice Programs

DOJ

04/23/08

10/02/08

162

Leon R. Sequeira

Asst. Secy. – Policy

DOL

01/09/07

02/15/07

37

Patrick P. Shen

Special Council for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices

DOJ

01/18/07

10/04/07

259

James Shinn

Asst. Secy. – Asian and Pacific Security Affairs

DOD

10/23/07

12/19/07

57

Douglas H. Shulman

Commissioner – Internal Revenue

TREAS

12/11/07

03/13/08

93

James A. Slutz

Asst. Secy. – Fossil Energy

DOE

07/30/08

Returned 01/02/09

Robert L. Smolen

Deputy Admin. – Defense Programs, NNSA

DOE

07/31/07

11/16/07

108

Sean J. Stackley

Asst. Secy. – Navy – Research, Development, and Acquisition

DOD

05/01/08

07/23/08

83

Richard Stickler

Asst. Secy. – Mine Safety and Health

DOL

01/09/07

Returned 01/02/09

Robert A. Sturgell

Admin. – Federal Aviation Administration

DOT

10/23/07

Returned 01/02/09

Stanley C. Suboleski

Asst. Secy. – Fossil Energy

DOE

12/11/07

Withdrawn 02/26/08

John J. Sullivan

Deputy Secretary

DOC

12/04/07

03/13/08

100

Michael J. Sullivan

Dir. – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

DOJ

03/22/07

Returned 01/02/09

William G. Sutton Jr.

Asst. Secy. – Manufacturing and Services

DOC

05/07/07

08/03/07

88

Ronald J. Tenpas

Asst. Atty. General – Environment and Natural Resources Division

DOJ

06/04/07

12/13/07

192

Harry K. Thomas Jr.

Director General – Foreign Service

DOS

07/25/07

09/12/07

49

Eric M. Thorson

Inspector General

TREAS

11/15/07

08/01/08

260

Tevi D. Troy

Deputy Secy.

HHS

05/03/07

08/03/07

92

W. Craig Vanderwagen

Asst. Secy. – Preparedness and Response

HHS

02/12/07

03/21/07

37

Michael G. Vickers

Asst. Secy. – Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict

DOD

04/10/07

07/23/07

104

Brent T. Wahlquist

Dir. – Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

DOI

06/28/07

08/03/07

36

Christopher R. Wall

Asst. Secy. – Export Administration

DOC

03/31/08

06/27/08

88

Douglas W. Webster

Chief Financial Officer

DOL

09/27/07

12/19/07

83

John J. Young Jr.

Under Secy. – Acquisition, Technology and Logistics

DOD

06/21/07

11/16/07

148

Todd J. Zinser

Inspector General

DOC

09/07/07

12/19/07

103

Mean number of days to confirm

 

 

104

Median number of days to confirm

 

 

92

Appendix B. Nomination Action, 110th Congress

Department

Positions

Nominations

Individual Nominees

Confirmations

Returned

Withdrawn

Mean Days to Confirm

Median Days to Confirm

Agriculture

16

1

1

1

0

0

53

53

Commerce

23

11

11

9

1

1

111

103

Defense

54

21

19

16

3

2

85

65

Education

18

7

7

6

1

0

90

55

Energy

22

12

12

7

3

2

88

72

Health and Human Services

20

10

10

6

3

1

91

89

Homeland Security

21

11

9

7

2

2

143

136

Housing and Urban Development

15

6

6

5

0

1

123

122

Interior

18

6

6

4

1

92

58

Justice

29

21

20

14

6

1

152

124

Labor

20

12

12

8

3

1

97

92

State

48

27

27

21

5

1

90

86

Transportation

20

11

11

6

5

0

97

53

Treasury

26

8

8

7

1

0

123

93

Veterans Affairs

15

8

8

8

0

0

88

81

Total

364

172

167

125

34

13

104

92

Note: Similar previous reports included a column in this table for recess appointments. Because President Bush did not make any recess appointments to executive departments during the 110th Congress, a recess appointments column is not included.

Appendix C. Senate Intersession Recesses and Intrasession Recesses of Four or More Days, 110th Congress

Date Recessed

Date Reconvened

Number of Days Adjournedb

(The first session of the 110th Congress convened on January 4, 2007.)

02/17/07

02/26/07

9

03/29/07

04/10/07

12

05/25/07

06/04/07

10

06/29/07

07/09/07

10

08/03/07

09/04/07

32

10/05/07

10/15/07

10

The Senate adjourned sine die on December 31, 2007. The second session of the 110th Congress convened on January 3, 2008. The intersession (period between these two dates) was 3 days long.b There were no intrasession recesses of four or more days during the 110th Congress, 2nd session. The Senate adjourned its second session on January 2, 2009.

Source: Table created by the Congressional Research Service using data from the Congressional Record.

Note: For the purposes of determining the length of an intrasession recess for inclusion in this table, Sundays were not counted. Under congressional precedents, Sunday is considered a "dies non," or a day on which Congress is not expected to meet, for purposes of determining whether Congress has adjourned for "not more than three days."

b. The number of days adjourned was counted starting on the first calendar day after an adjournment and ending on the day of reconvening, including in the count the day the Senate reconvened. This is consistent with the House practice for counting recess days for the purposes of meeting congressional adjournment requirements in the Constitution ("Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days …." Art. I, § 5, cl. 4). Under House precedents, "The House of Representatives in adjourning for not more than three days must take into the count either the day of adjourning or the day of the meeting, and Sunday is not taken into account in making this computation" U.S. Congress, House, Constitution, Jefferson's Manual and Rules of the House of Representatives of the United States, One Hundred Tenth Congress, 109th Cong., 2nd sess., H.Doc. 109-157 (Washington: GPO, 2007), p. 37. Senate practice appears to be consistent with this approach (Floyd M. Riddick and Alan S. Frumin, Riddick's Senate Procedure: Precedents and Practices, 101st Cong., 2nd sess., S.Doc. 101-28, (Washington: GPO, 1992), pp. 15-16). Inasmuch as it has been argued that the periods during which the President could make recess appointments might be those in which the Senate is in recess pursuant to the constitutional provision just quoted, it appears that this method of calculating recess days would provide a relevant measure of recess length in the context of discussions of recess appointments. Other methods might be used in other contexts. For example, a method in which neither the day of adjournment nor the day of reconvening was counted has been used elsewhere. This method takes into account that the Senate could act on nominations on either of these days, obviating the need for a recess appointment.

Appendix D. Abbreviations of Departments

DHS

Department of Homeland Security

DOC

Department of Commerce

DOD

Department of Defense

DOE

Department of Energy

DOI

Department of the Interior

DOJ

Department of Justice

DOL

Department of Labor

DOS

Department of State

DOT

Department of Transportation

DVA

Department of Veterans Affairs

ED

Department of Education

HHS

Department of Health and Human Services

HUD

Department of Housing and Urban Development

TREAS

Department of the Treasury

USDA

Department of Agriculture

Appendix E. Change in Methodology from Previous Tracking Reports

The calculations of nomination-to-confirmation intervals provided in this report counted all the days within the interval, including those during summer recesses and between sessions of the Senate. The inclusion of all days differs from the methodology used in similar CRS reports for previous Congresses.34 In these earlier reports, days during August and intersession recesses were not included in calculations of nomination-to-confirmation intervals. The rationale for the earlier methodology was that the Senate was unlikely to continue consideration of nominations during these periods; committee hearings and votes, among other activities, typically do not occur during these times. The exclusion of days during only certain periods of adjournment—intersession recesses and August recesses, which are usually longer than 30 days—is suggested by Senate rules regarding when nominations are to be returned to the President. These provide,

Nominations neither confirmed nor rejected during the session at which they are made shall not be acted upon at any succeeding session without being again made to the Senate by the President; and if the Senate shall adjourn or take recess for more than thirty days, all nominations pending and not finally acted upon at the time of taking such adjournment or recess shall be returned by the Secretary to the President. 35

This earlier methodology was also consistent with the approach of some political scientists who study executive branch appointments.36

The methodology for this report is different from that which was used in previous similar reports for several reasons. First, as discussed above in the section on recess appointments, from the latter part of the first session through the end of the 110th Congress, the Senate chose to break up what would otherwise have been longer recesses into shorter recesses separated by pro forma sessions. This introduced two options for this report with regard to the calculation of nomination-to-confirmation intervals. The first option would have been to treat each series of short recesses created in this fashion as one long recess and to subtract these days from the nomination-to-confirmation interval.37 The second option would have been to treat each recess in the series of short recesses created in this fashion as a short recess, and not to subtract these days from the nomination-to-confirmation interval. Arguably, actions of the Senate and the President were consistent with the latter construction—short recesses as short recesses. Otherwise, Senate rules would have required the return of pending nominations (or the waiver of that rule)38 and the President could have made recess appointments. The Senate and the President did not take these actions. As a result, short recesses created by pro forma sessions are treated as short recesses in the count of the length of time to confirmation. It should be noted, however, that the inclusion of these days reduces the comparability of statistics provided in this report with statistics in previous similar tracking reports, since the intervals calculated in this report include days that in previous reports were part of longer recesses and therefore were subtracted from the length of the interval. Although the phenomenon underlying this methodological problem first arose during the 110th Congress, it could arise again in future Congresses.

Other reasons for the methodological change are not unique to the 110th Congress. First, in some cases, committee or floor action on a nomination that could have been completed before a recess has been, instead, deferred until after the recess. For such a nomination, the period of Senate consideration arguably has been intentionally extended. Counting all days, including those during a long recess, in calculations of elapsed time reflects that extension of Senate consideration. Second, it is unlikely that all work pertaining to nominations stops over a recess, and the inclusion of recess days is a reflection of the fact that the nominee is still under consideration, even during recess. Member and committee staffs may still be considering nominations at that time, even though they may not take direct action in the form of hearings or votes on the nominees. Ongoing activities may include investigatory work and interviews with nominees. Finally, although, as mentioned above, some political scientists who study nominations do subtract recess days during calculations of nomination-to-confirmation intervals, many others do not.39 In addition, the calculation of nomination-to-confirmation intervals in CRS research concerning judicial nominations does not exclude days that fall during recesses.40 By using methodology that is more similar to the work of other political scientists and to CRS judicial nominations research, the research presented here could be more easily compared and combined with related work. For all of these reasons, in this report, we employ a new methodology for calculating nomination-to-confirmation intervals.

Acknowledgments

[author name scrubbed], Reference Assistant, and Mabel Gracias, Library Technician Reference Assistant, assisted in the collection of data used in this report.

Footnotes

1.

Full-time departmental PAS positions that are not covered in this report include U.S. attorney and U.S. marshal positions in the Department of Justice; most Foreign Service and diplomatic positions in the Department of State; officer corps positions in the civilian uniformed services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Department of Commerce, and of the Public Health Service in the Department of Health and Human Services; and the officer corps in the military services.

2.

A succinct historical and contemporary overview of the appointment power is found in [author name scrubbed], "Appointment Powers," in his Constitutional Conflicts between Congress and the President, 5th ed., rev. (Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2007), pp. 21-47.

3.

Art. II, Sec. 2, cl. 2 provides that the President "shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments."

4.

The Council for Excellence in Government's Presidential Appointee Initiative, A Survivor's Guide for Presidential Nominees, The Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C., November 2000, pp. 31-32.

5.

See, for example, Michael J. Gerhardt, The Federal Appointments Process: A Constitutional and Historical Analysis (Durham: Duke University Press, 2003), pp. 29-34.

6.

See, for example, ibid., pp. 152-153.

7.

3 U.S.C. § 102 note.

8.

P.L. 108-458, § 7601; 118 Stat. 3856.

9.

5 U.S.C. § 3349a.

10.

P.L. 105-277, Div. C, Title I, § 151; 5 U.S.C. §§ 3345-3349d. For more on the Vacancies Act, see CRS Report 98-892, The New Vacancies Act: Congress Acts to Protect the Senate's Confirmation Prerogative, by [author name scrubbed].

11.

For further information on this stage of the appointment process, see CRS Report RL31980, Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure, by [author name scrubbed]; and CRS Report RL31948, Evolution of the Senate's Role in the Nomination and Confirmation Process: A Brief History, by [author name scrubbed].

12.

G. Calvin Mackenzie, The Politics of Presidential Appointments (New York: The Free Press, 1981), pp. 97-189.

13.

Formally, the presiding officer of the Senate makes the referrals. For more information, see Floyd M. Riddick and Alan S. Frumin, Riddick's Senate Procedure: Precedents and Practices, 101st Cong., 2nd sess., S.Doc. 101-28 (Washington: GPO, 1992), pp. 1154-8; and CRS Report RL31980, Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure, by [author name scrubbed], pp. 2-3.

14.

One example of such an occurrence was the Senate Judiciary Committee's rejection of William Lucas, whom President George H. W. Bush had nominated for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. Reportedly, the committee first rejected reporting the nomination favorably, then the committee rejected sending the nomination to the full Senate without any recommendation. Although the disposition of the vote was 7-7, a majority is required to report a nomination out of committee. For further information on this example, see "Senate Panel Rejects Lucas for Rights Post," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 2, 1989, p. 1A.

15.

For more information, see CRS Report RL31980, Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure, by [author name scrubbed], p. 7.

16.

The rule may be found in U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Manual, 110th Cong., 2nd sess., S. Doc. 110-1 (Washington: GPO, 2008), p. 58, Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

17.

For an example of a waiver of the rule, see Sen. Harry Reid, "Nominations Status Quo," Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 153, December 19, 2007, p. S16061.

18.

Art. II, Sec. 2, cl. 3.

19.

5 U.S.C. § 5503(a).

20.

5 U.S.C. § 5503(b).

21.

For further information, see CRS Report RS21308, Recess Appointments: Frequently Asked Questions, by [author name scrubbed]; and CRS Report RL33009, Recess Appointments: A Legal Overview, by [author name scrubbed].

22.

15 Op. O.L.C. 93 (1991). See also 6 Op. O.L.C. 585 (1982); 41 Op. A.G. 463 (1960).

23.

P.L. 110-161, Div. D, § 709.

24.

A pro forma session is a short meeting of the House or Senate during which it is understood that no business will be conducted.

25.

The Constitution does not specify how long the Senate must be in recess for the President to have the ability to make a recess appointment. The three-day norm derives from a Justice Department brief written in 1993. In this brief, the authors posited that because the Constitution allows the Senate to adjourn its session for up to three days without obtaining the consent of the House, a recess of three days or fewer is not considered "constitutionally significant." Over the past two decades, the shortest recess during which a President made an appointment was 10 days. For more information, see CRS Report RS21308, Recess Appointments: Frequently Asked Questions, by [author name scrubbed]. For the Justice Department brief, see Mackie v. Clinton, Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Motion for Partial Summary Judgment, at 24-26, Civ. Action No. 93-0032-LFO, (D.D.C. 1993).

26.

For further information, see CRS Report RS21308, Recess Appointments: Frequently Asked Questions, by [author name scrubbed].

27.

5 U.S.C. §§ 3345-3349d.

28.

For more on the Vacancies Act, see CRS Report 98-892, The New Vacancies Act: Congress Acts to Protect the Senate's Confirmation Prerogative, by [author name scrubbed].

29.

Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate provides that "Nominations neither confirmed not rejected during the session at which they are made shall not be acted upon at any succeeding session without being again made to the Senate by the President; and if the Senate shall adjourn or take a recess for more than thirty days, all nominations pending and not finally acted upon at the time of taking such adjournment or recess shall be returned by the Secretary to the President, and shall not again be considered unless they shall again be made to the Senate by the President." U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Manual, 110th Cong., 2nd sess., S. Doc. 110-1 (Washington: GPO, 2008), p. 58.

30.

Sources include the Senate nominations database of the Legislative Information System http://www.congress.gov/nomis/, the Congressional Record (daily edition), the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, telephone discussions with agency officials, agency websites, the United States Code, and the 2008 "Plum Book" (U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions, committee print, 110th Cong., 2nd sess., November 12, 2008, S. Prt. 110-36 (Washington: GPO, 2008)).

31.

The data collected on incumbents at the end of the 110th Congress were collected as of the Senate's last day of business on December 11, 2008. Beginning on December 12, agency officials were contacted and the lists of incumbents were finalized.

32.

As noted above, the following full-time positions are not included in this report: U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal positions in the Department of Justice; Foreign Service and diplomatic positions in the Department of State; most officer corps positions in the civilian uniformed services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Department of Commerce, and of the Public Health Service in the Department of Health and Human Services; and the officer corps in the military services.

33.

In some cases, the title drawn from the LIS database is expanded upon for clarity in the second table. For example, Sheila M. Greenwood was nominated to be Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Her nomination, as shown in the LIS database, does not indicate which Assistant Secretary position she was nominated to; it merely states that she was nominated as an Assistant Secretary. In the section on HUD, the second table shows that she was nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. The expansion of this title was based upon knowledge of the previous position holder and the title held by that individual. This information is included to give the reader a better understanding of the position to which the individual was nominated.

34.

See, for example, CRS Report RL34744, Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions on Regulatory and Other Collegial Boards and Commissions, 109th Congress, by [author name scrubbed] et al.

35.

U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Manual, 110th Cong., 2nd sess., S.Doc. 110-1 (Washington: GPO, 2008), p. 58, Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

36.

For example, see Nolan McCarty and Rose Razaghian, "Advice and Consent: Senate Responses to Executive Branch Nominations 1885-1996," American Journal of Political Science, vol. 43, no. 4 (October 1999), pp. 1122-1143.

37.

This appears to be the construction adopted by the Congressional Directory. See U.S. Congress, Joint Committee on Printing, Congressional Directory, 2009-2010, 111th Cong., 1st sess., S. Pub. 111-14 (Washington: GPO, 2009), p. 541.

38.

As noted above, under Senate rules, if a nomination is not acted upon by the Senate by the end of a Congress, it is returned to the President. Pending nominations also may be returned automatically to the President at the beginning of a recess of more than 30 days, but the Senate rule providing for this return is often waived. The applicable Senate rule may be found in U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Manual, 110th Cong., 2nd sess., S. Doc. 110-1 (Washington: GPO, 2008), p. 58, Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.

39.

For example, see Lauren Cohen Bell, "Senatorial Discourtesy: The Senate's Use of Delay to Shape the Federal Judiciary," Political Research Quarterly, vol. 55, no. 3 (September 2002), pp. 589-607; Sarah A. Binder and Forrest Maltzman, "Senatorial Delay in Confirming Federal Judges, 1947-1998," American Journal of Political Science, vol. 46, no. 1 (January 2002), pp. 190-199; and Karl DeRouen Jr., Jeffrey S. Peake, and Kenneth Ward, "Presidential Mandates and the Dynamics of Senate Advice and Consent, 1885-1996," American Politics Research, vol. 33, no. 1 (January 2005), pp. 106-131.

40.

For example, see CRS Report RL33953, Nominations to Article III Lower Courts by President George W. Bush During the 110th Congress, by [author name scrubbed], [author name scrubbed], and Maureen Bearden.