The time it takes to confirm presidential appointments in the Senate has grown longer and longer over the past four decades, despite several changes to Senate rules. The results of the midterm elections are unlikely to reverse the 40-year pattern.
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Our new book, “The Peaceful Transfer of Power: An Oral History of America’s Presidential Transitions,” makes accessible the many interviews, expertise and insights that came out of the “Transition Lab” podcast.
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Data from our Political Appointee Tracker, run jointly with The Washington Post, shows that nearly 30% of 194 Senate-confirmed ambassador positions in our government are currently vacant. Learn how nominating effective ambassadors has helped to bridge the gap in American leadership worldwide.
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The 2020-2021 presidential transition was the toughest in modern history. Our new report examines the planning and execution of this difficult transfer of power and provides a series of recommendations to support future peaceful presidential transitions.
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Valerie Smith Boyd, the new Center for Presidential Transition director, discusses her public service career serving in the past three administrations and the importance of unity in government.
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The 9/11 Commission Report revealed our country’s flawed political appointment process and showed how slow Senate confirmations can imperil our national security. In the aftermath of 9/11, new laws were passed to address the report’s recommendations, but improvements can still be made to create a more efficient Senate confirmation process.
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To mark the first 100 days of President Biden’s administration, the Center for Presidential Transition and the University of Virginia’s Miller Center co-hosted an event, entitled “Why the Transition isn’t Over: A Look at What’s Next for the Biden Administration,” featuring a bipartisan panel of former senior administration officials. The panelists discussed their experiences working on presidential transitions and gave insights into a new administration’s first 100 days.
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Cabinet secretaries and deputy secretaries play an important role in advising the president and developing the vision for their departments. The Center for Presidential Transition has refreshed several guides which outline best practices for new secretaries and deputy secretaries to follow when they take office.
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Last month, the Federal Communicators Network and the Partnership hosted a panel series, “Managing Communications Amid New Leadership,” with communications experts from across government. For tips on helping your agency transition to new leadership, check out highlights from the three panels on social media, website content and preparing incoming leaders for their new roles.
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The quick confirmation of Cabinet secretaries and Cabinet-level agency leaders is essential for a new administration to address the country’s urgent needs. We examine the slower-than-usual confirmation of Biden’s appointees a month into his presidency and place the new administrations appointment record in historical context.
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