WASHINGTON-For all the talk of bipartisanship this Congressional session, this cooperation does not seem to have touched the presidential appointment process. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have exchanged heated words about President George W. Bush nominees held up by the Senate, which must confirm the appointments.
Now that Congress is in recess, President Bush has the option of making recess appointments, which last only until the end of the congressional session. The Senate, currently Democrat-controlled, can then confirm the appointee for a full term or allow the term to expire.
While President Bush told reporters he was highly focused on the situation in Afghanistan right now, he "at the appropriate time, will take a good, hard look at recess appointments.
Recommended For You
"I'm disappointed that a lot of my appointments were stalled in the United States Senate, weren't given a hearing…But I'll take a good, hard look at all the options available to me."
One of the Senate confirmations held up by party squabbles has been NCUA Board Nominee JoAnn Johnson, currently an Iowa state senator. Her nomination went to the Senate November 27, but the Banking Committee has failed to hold a hearing.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
