January 12, 2009
Scolese as Acting Administrator?
Editor's note: Some issues are being worked between DOJ and the White House as to whether Chris Scolese can serve as Acting Administrator when Mike Griffin departs until the Obama Administration's candidate is confirmed by the Senate.
Contrary to some rumors going around, Shana Dale will most certainly not be Acting Administrator. Friday is her last day at NASA.
It is important to note that this is a personnel issue being managed by the current Bush Administration - not the Obama Transition Team since it deals with personnel events before 20 January.
Posted by kcowing at January 12, 2009 12:29 PM
The issue is whether someone not confirmed by the Senate can serve as Acting Administrator. Chris Scolese is a civil servant. With the departure of Shana Dale, the only other Senate-confirmed NASA officials are the Inspector General and the Chief Financial Officer. After Deputy Administrator Fred Gregory left NASA and Don Rumsfeld would not let Charlie Bolden take the job, civil servant Dan Mulville was Acting Deputy Administrator (the Deputy position also requires Senate confirmation). To the best of my memory right now, there is no precedent for a civil servant being Acting Administrator.
Posted by: JML at January 12, 2009 3:01 PMThe issue is whether someone not confirmed by the Senate can serve as Acting Administrator. Chris Scolese is a civil servant. With the departure of Shana Dale, the only other Senate-confirmed NASA officials are the Inspector General and the Chief Financial Officer. After Deputy Administrator Fred Gregory left NASA and Don Rumsfeld would not let Charlie Bolden take the job, civil servant Dan Mulville was Acting Deputy Administrator (the Deputy position also requires Senate confirmation). To the best of my memory right now, there is no precedent for a civil servant being Acting Administrator.
Posted by: JML at January 12, 2009 3:01 PMIn any event, Chris would do an excellent job. He's a smart guy, and has a broad view of NASA's missions and capabilities. Plus as the former EOS Manager and Deputy AA for Science, he has a good background for where the Agency is headed with the new Administration.
Posted by: sc220 at January 12, 2009 4:26 PMDoes Senate confirmation take a simple majority, or more than that?
Posted by: Robert Simko at January 12, 2009 10:51 PMJML,
There is no requirement that a person be Senate-confirmed to be Acting *anything*. There is simply a limit on how long a person can be Acting if they are not Senate confirmed as Deputy.
And Dan Mulville was Acting Administrator between *Dan Goldin's* departure and Sean O'Keefe's confirmation in 2001.
Fred Gregory became Acting Administator between O'Keefe's departure in late 2004 and Griffin's confirmation in March 2005.
And Don Rumsfeld didn't stop Bolden from becoming NASA Deputy; it was Senate Armed Services Ranking Democrat Carl Levin, who objected to flag officers going to non-DOD agencies during wartime.
Therefore, Chris Scolese can be Acting Administrator.
- Jim
