{ "id": "RL32551", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RL32551", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 306234, "date": "2005-03-23", "retrieved": "2016-04-07T19:49:10.944029", "title": "9/11 Commission Recommendations: The Senate Confirmation Process for Presidential Nominees", "summary": "On July 22, 2004, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, known\nas\nthe 9/11 Commission, issued its final report, detailing the events up to and including the September\n11, 2001 terrorist attacks upon the United States. The report contained 41 recommendations on ways\nto prevent future catastrophic assaults, including a series of proposals designed to improve the\npresidential appointments process as it relates to the top national security officials at the beginning\nof a new administration. On October 6, the Senate passed legislation ( S. 2845 ) to\nimplement many of the changes recommended by the 9/11 Commission. The House on October 8\npassed its version of the legislation ( H.R. 10 ). The President signed the final version\nof the bill on December 17, 2004 ( P.L. 108-458 ). Two other measures dealing with the 9/11\nCommission\u2019s recommendations ( S. 2774 and H.R. 5040 ) were introduced\nin early September.\n \n The 9/11 Commission recommended that the Senate adopt rules requiring hearings and votes\nto confirm or reject national security nominees within 30 days of their submission at the start of each\nnew presidential administration. Implicit in the proposal is the assumption that there is a problem\nwith the process for nominating and confirming presidential appointees. Analysis of Senate\nconsideration of the initial nominations by Presidents William J. Clinton and George W. Bush to\nthe\nposts covered by the recommendation shows that the commission\u2019s proposed timetable was\nnot met\nin 14 of the 49 cases, suggesting this is an issue in a minority of cases.\n \n The Constitution gives the Senate a role in the presidential appointments process, but the\nparameters of that role have never been clearly defined. The current process is regulated by a\nmixture of formal rules and informal customs, as well as by political interactions between the\nPresident and Senators. Implementing the commission\u2019s proposal would presumably require\ninstituting procedures that guarantee committee consideration of each nomination, at least at a\nhearing, and a final vote on each by the full Senate. Changes of this kind would involve new\nrestrictions on both the power of committee chairs to control the agenda of their committees and the\nrights of Senators to delay or block nominations through holds and extended debate. These changes\nwould likely also alter the relationship between the legislative and executive branches, weakening\nthe negotiating posture of the Senate in relation to the President, particularly if they were to be\nextended to additional nominations.\n \n Procedures adequate to implement the commission\u2019s recommendation would resemble\nan\nexpedited procedure, such as those used in resolutions of approval and disapproval of executive\nactions. Procedural changes of this kind could be achieved by amending the Standing Rules of the\nSenate, changing the Standing Orders of the Senate, passing a Constitutional Amendment enacting\nan expedited procedures statute, or reaching a unanimous consent agreement. \n This report will be updated as events warrant.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL32551", "sha1": "ba34a0929e767200ad210259dc9a913d9ce52806", "filename": "files/20050323_RL32551_ba34a0929e767200ad210259dc9a913d9ce52806.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL32551", "sha1": "0e4a96a1c686c289deb13af91f2e12da1f8e4dee", "filename": "files/20050323_RL32551_0e4a96a1c686c289deb13af91f2e12da1f8e4dee.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs7850/", "id": "RL32551 2004-11-22", "date": "2004-11-22", "retrieved": "2005-12-21T16:20:31", "title": "9/11 Commission Recommendations: The Senate Confirmation Process for Presidential Nominees", "summary": "On July 22, 2004, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, known as the 9/11 Commission, issued its final report, detailing the events up to and including the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks upon the United States. The 9/11 Commission recommended that the Senate adopt rules requiring hearings and votes to confirm or reject national security nominees within 30 days of their submission at the start of each new presidential administration. Implementing the commission's proposal would involve imposing new restrictions on both the power of committee chairs to control the agenda of their committees and the rights of Senators to delay or block nominations through holds and extended debate. This report discusses in detail this proposal, how it could be implemented, and the potential effects of its implementation.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20041122_RL32551_07ddc44d465ed48c5eae35d06e38d635f7b77612.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20041122_RL32551_07ddc44d465ed48c5eae35d06e38d635f7b77612.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress", "name": "Congress" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidential appointments", "name": "Presidential appointments" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Advice and consent of the Senate", "name": "Advice and consent of the Senate" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Presidents", "name": "Presidents" } ] } ], "topics": [ "American Law", "Constitutional Questions", "Foreign Affairs", "Intelligence and National Security" ] }