Our 44th president will inherit not only unprecedented economic and security challenges but also a broken federal appointments process. More than 200 high-level federal executive, regulatory and court vacancies threaten the government’s proper functioning. Top-level vacancies exist at the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Council of Economic Advisers, Treasury, Labor, the Federal Communications Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Seven high Department of Justice (DOJ) posts lie vacant or are filled with acting officials. The vacancy backlog builds monthly. In this time of war, a determined enemy could not have wreaked such havoc.
Similarly high-ranking vacancies hobble key parts of Defense, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, State and lesser known, but important, agencies and commissions. The boards governing mine and transportation safety do not have sufficient membership to function, and the Federal Aviation Administration has no leader. During this election year, the Federal Election Commission’s quorum dysfunction defies reason; four of its six members are absent, rendering it unable to issue rulings or offer guidance. As April 15 approaches, the Internal Revenue Service’s top slot is blank.
