Professor of Public Policy James Pfiffner discussed ways to fix the Presidential appointments process Monday at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.
According to the Constitution, the President nominates the major officers of the U.S. government and the Senate must confirm them before they take office. An increasing number of political appointees and an extended vetting process, involving financial disclosures, background investigations and Senate Committee forms, has lengthened the process. This leaves many executive offices vacant for several months into a new President's term.
Professor Pfiffner spoke about options for fixing the process, as well as the arguments and roadblocks that stand in the way.