THE SENATE'S ROLE IN CONFIRMATIONOF POLITICAL APPOINTEES -- THE SENATE'S ROLE IN CONFIRMATION OF POLITICAL APPOINTEES -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEE POSITIONS REQUIRINGSENATE CONFIRMATION AND COMMITTEESHANDLING NOMINATIONS∗ -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION [1] -- Referral of Nominations to Senate Committees [5] -- Organization of the Report -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE,NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON BANKING,HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, ANDTRANSPORTATION -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY ANDNATURAL RESOURCES -- Full-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT ANDPUBLIC WORKS -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS -- Full-Time Positions -- Organizations with Full- and Part-Time Positions [95] -- Untitled -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION,LABOR, AND PENSIONS -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY ANDGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE -- Full-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY -- Full-Time Positions -- Part-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION -- Full-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS ANDENTREPRENEURSHIP -- Full-Time Positions -- SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS -- Full-Time Positions -- REFERENCES.

SENATE CONSIDERATION OF PRESIDENTIALNOMINATIONS:COMMITTEE AND FLOOR PROCEDURE -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- RECEIPT AND REFERRAL -- COMMITTEE PROCEDURES -- Written Rules -- Investigations -- Hearings -- Reporting -- FLOOR PROCEDURES -- Executive Calendar -- Executive Session -- Taking Up a Nomination -- Holds -- Consideration and Disposition -- Cloture -- NOMINATIONS RETURNED TO THE PRESIDENT -- RECESS APPOINTMENTS -- RELATED CRS REPORTS -- REFERENCES -- CONFIRMATION OF POLITICAL APPOINTEES∗ -- ELICITING NOMINEES' VIEWS ON MANAGEMENT CHALLENGESWITHIN AGENCIES AND ACROSS GOVERNMENT -- APPENDIX I: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE -- Key Issues Needing Attention -- QUESTIONS -- Ensuring Proper Farm Program Payments -- Ensuring Farm and Conservation Programs Do Not Work at Cross Purposes -- Ensuring Meat and Poultry Safety and Humane Slaughter of Livestock -- Protecting American Agriculture -- Addressing Civil Rights Issues -- Improving Food Assistance Program Integrity -- Protecting Natural Resources -- Improving Management of the Competitive Sourcing Program -- Defining "Rural" for Housing Programs -- Assessing the Multifamily Housing Portfolio -- Implementing the Agricultural Systems Initiative -- Addressing Concerns about Renewable Fuels -- APPENDIX II: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE -- Key Issues Needing Attention -- QUESTIONS -- Improving Acquisition of Weather-Forecasting Satellites -- Ensuring an Effective Census -- APPENDIX III: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE -- Key Issues Needing Attention -- QUESTIONS -- Developing Affordable Plans and Budgets to Accomplish Missions -- Rebuilding Near-Term Readiness and Transforming Capabilities to MeetThreats -- Sizing and Organizing the Force to Meet National Security Demands -- Managing Weapon System Programs -- Developing Cost-Effective Pay and Compensation Strategies -- Improving Health Care for Servicemembers and Veterans.

Stabilizing Regions in Conflict -- Transforming Business Operations -- APPENDIX IV: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION -- QUESTIONS -- Improving Student Achievement in Elementary and Secondary Schools -- Improving Oversight of Federal Student Aid Programs -- Ensuring Continued Access to Federal Student Loans -- APPENDIX V: DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY -- Key Issues Needing Attention -- QUESTIONS -- Filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve -- Developing Advanced Energy Technologies -- Addressing Concerns about Renewable Fuels -- Improving Energy Efficiency -- Transforming the Nuclear Weapons Complex -- Improving Contract Administration and Project Management -- Strengthening Cyber Security -- Consolidating Surplus Nuclear Material -- Assessing Nonproliferation Efforts -- APPENDIX VI:DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES -- QUESTIONS -- Reforming and Refining Medicare Payments -- Improving Medicare Program Management -- Enhancing Medicare Program Integrity -- Enhancing Medicaid Oversight -- Overseeing Patient Care and Safety -- Ensuring Medical Product Safety -- Ensuring Food Supply Safety -- Strengthening Emergency Preparedness -- Improving the Well-being of Children and Families -- APPENDIX VII:DEPARTMENT OF HOMEL AND SECURITY -- QUESTIONS -- Emergency Preparedness and Response -- Border Security and Immigration -- Transportation Security -- Critical Infrastructure Protection -- Transforming the Department of Homeland Security -- APPENDIX VIII:DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT -- QUESTIONS -- Modernizing the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) -- Reforming Rental Housing Assistance Programs -- Strengthening Accountability in Disaster Assistance -- APPENDIX IX:DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR -- QUESTIONS -- Strengthening Resource Protection -- Strengthening the Accountability of Indian and Island Community Programs.

Improving Federal Land Acquisition and Management -- Reducing Interior's Deferred Maintenance Backlog -- Ensuring the Accurate Collection of Royalties -- Enhancing Other Revenue Collection -- Other Broad Management Questions for the Department of the Interior -- APPENDIX X: DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE -- QUESTIONS -- Balancing Traditional Crime-Fighting Efforts with Counterterrorism -- Transforming the FBI to Address Terrorism -- Protecting Civil Liberties and Privacy in the 21st Century -- Managing a Growing Prison Population -- Ensuring Effective Grant Programs -- APPENDIX XI: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR -- QUESTIONS -- Enhancing Employment and Training Programs -- Ensuring Safe and Productive Workplaces -- Improving Private Pension Plan Monitoring and Enforcement -- APPENDIX XII: DEPARTMENT OF STATE -- QUESTIONS -- Stabilizing Regions in Conflict -- Strengthening Visa and Passport Operations -- Fostering Public Diplomacy and International Broadcasting -- Addressing Staffing Challenges -- Reforming United Nations Management -- Sustaining Counternarcotics Activities -- Addressing HIV/AIDS Challenges -- Implementing the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compacts -- Enhancing Democracy and Human Right Activities -- Maximizing Humanitarian Assistance -- APPENDIX XIII: DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION -- Key Issues Needing Attention -- QUESTIONS -- Maintaining and Improving Our Nation's Mobility -- Financing the Nation's Transportation System -- Improving Transportation Safety -- Transitioning to NextGen -- Improving Performance and Accountability -- Improving Energy Efficiency -- Building Human Capital Strategies -- Fostering Improved Financial Management -- APPENDIX XIV: DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY -- QUESTIONS -- Implementing the Troubled Asset Relief Program -- Federal Government's Long-Term Fiscal Challenge -- Reexamining Tax Policies and Priorities.

Reducing the Tax Gap -- Modernizing Business Systems -- Implementing Debt Relief -- Ensuring Retirement Income Security -- APPENDIX XV: DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS -- QUESTIONS -- Improving Criteria for Disability Compensation -- Improving Claims Process -- Ensuring Processing of Benefits -- Improving Health Care for Servicemembers and Veterans -- Enhancing Health Care Delivery -- Improving Controls over Third-Party Insurers -- Recruiting and Retaining Professionals -- Improving Property Management -- Improving Information Technology Accountability -- Improving Controls over IT Equipment -- Improving Controls over Obligations -- APPENDIX XVI:ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY -- QUESTIONS -- Ensuring Sound Science -- Providing More Effective Controls over Toxic Substances -- Ensuring Environmental Enforcement and Compliance -- Reducing Pollution in the Nation's Water Bodies -- Speeding the Pace of Cleanup of Hazardous Waste Sites -- Ensuring the Safety of the Nation's Drinking Water -- Addressing Challenges in Implementing the Clean Air Act -- Improving the Development and Use of Environmental Information -- Addressing Human Capital Management Challenges at EPA -- Addressing Concerns about Renewable Fuels -- Untitled -- APPENDIX XVII:EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES -- QUESTIONS -- Reevaluating Small Business Outreach and Financing -- Improving Economic Impact Assessments -- Reviewing Energy-Related and Environmental Exports -- Reassessing Efforts to Combat Subsidized Export Credit Financing -- Budgeting for Future Losses and Limiting Fraud -- APPENDIX XVIII:FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION -- QUESTIONS -- Facilitating a Robust Communications Industry -- Managing and Overseeing Universal Service -- Managing Information and Human Capital -- APPENDIX XIX:GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION -- QUESTIONS.

Reducing Repair Backlogs and Excess Property.