Presidential Appointments to Full-Time Positions

The Constitution empowers the president to nominate and, with ''the advice and consent of the Senate'', to appoint the principal officers of the Unites States. This process is marked by three distinct stages: nomination, confirmation, and appointment. After the President submits an individual''s name for nomination to a specific position, the nominee must then appear before the Senate, which holds hearings to decide whether to confirm the president''s choice. If the Senate votes to approve the nominee, the president then appoints that person to assume the job. In recent years, though, this process has become increasingly partisan as Senate hearings have pitted Republican against Democrat in ideological battles over a nominee''s fitness for government service. One of the most notable examples of President George W Bush''s tenure was the confirmation debate over Attorney General John Ashcroft. However, the president has to make appointments to fill other, less high-profile positions in agencies such as the Postal Rate Commission and the Surface Transportation Board. The process tends to be deliberate, making for several vacancies in certain agencies, along with incumbents serving beyond their terms. This book provides an overview of the presidential appointment process, as well as descriptions of each federal agency the president is tasked to staff. Also included are lists of some of President Bush''s nominees and their current status. The importance of presidential appointments is clear, as the nominees have the opportunity to influence the nation''s agenda and direction. The analysis presented here then becomes needed in understanding an important constitutional process and its impact on the nation today.