FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March
20, 2002
Committee
Approves Thompson/Lieberman Bill To
Streamline Presidential Appointment Process
Washington,
DC - Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member
Fred Thompson (R-TN) and Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman
today announced that the
Committee has approved the Presidential Appointments
Improvement Act, their legislation correcting problems of
the presidential appointment process that have persistently
posed barriers for individuals seeking public service and
administration officials trying to fill high level Executive
Branch appointments and nominations as quickly and
efficiently as possible.
"This
legislation is an important step in helping future
administrations get their key people in place in a timely
manner," Senator Thompson said. "The Governmental
Affairs Committee has taken steps to streamline requirements
of appointees who come before us for
confirmation, and we hope to help all Senate committees and
the Executive Branch easily follow suit with the assistance
of this legislation."
"I'm
pleased to have been able to collaborate with Senator
Thompson on this measure, which will ease a number of
burdens placed on presidential nominees, while strengthening
certain forms of disclosure,” Senator Lieberman said.
“ I hope, and believe, this bill will help
encourage highly qualified people to enter the great
tradition and very fulfilling profession of public
service."
The
measure includes a number of recommendations submitted by
the Administration in a report by the Office of Government
Ethics. In
addition to provisions to streamline the financial
disclosure form, the bill includes provisions to:
•
Require a comprehensive review of and report on
criminal conflict of interest statutes by the Office of
Government Ethics and the Department of Justice;
•
Require each department and agency to recommend a plan
for reducing the number and layers of political appointees
requiring confirmation;
•
Require the Executive Clerk of the White House to keep
an electronic database of Executive Branch-appointed positions
and to deliver a copy of that database to the Presidential
candidates following the nominating conventions;
•
Improve tracking of nominees' agreements to take
action, such as selling certain securities, in order to avoid
conflicts of interest while in office; and
•
Improve public access to conflict of interest waivers.
Many of the bill’s provisions are based on
recommendations made to the Congress by various groups,
boards, and commissions that have studied the presidential
appointment process, including the Presidential Appointee
Initiative, the 20th Century Fund's Task Force on the
Presidential Appointment Process, the White House 2001
project, and the Transition to Governing project. The Hart-Rudman
Commission also recommended improving the Presidential
appointment process, writing that “[t]he ordeal that
Presidential nominees are subjected to is now so great as to
make it prohibitive for many individuals of talent and
experience to accept public service.”
The Governmental Affairs Committee has studied the
presidential appointment process for well over a year, holding
numerous hearings on the subject.
Other initiatives underway to streamline the process
include reducing the complexity and duplication of forms
required by Senate Committees and reducing the level of
background investigation required of certain nominees.
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