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Advancing American Freedom Foundation is a nonprofit institution that promotes and defends policies that elevate traditional American values,
EDWIN MEESE III INSTITUTE FOR THE RULE OF LAW POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS MEMO Thomas Jipping, Senior Legal Fellow DATA AS OF MARCH 27, YEAR 2, FOR EACH PRESIDENT
Background: Article II of the Constitution gives the President authority to nominate and, with Senate consent, to appoint “Officers of the United States.” Nominations are referred to the relevant Senate committee and, if approved, listed on the Executive Calendar. The Majority Leader decides which nominations to put before the Senate for consideration. The Minority Leader can allow the Senate to do so efficiently or force it to use time-consuming procedures.
The “Plum Book”: Published after each presidential election, the “Plum Book” (the cover is plum-colored) lists executive and legislative branch positions filled outside the regular civil service process. The 2024 Plum Book includes 936 positions requiring presidential nomination and Senate confirmation.1
Traditional Confirmation Process Norms:
• The Senate confirmed Cabinet nominations quickly with little or no opposition. • Opposition to President Trump’s 1st term Cabinet nominations was 550% higher than for his predecessor. • Forcing separate votes under Senate Rule 22 to invoke cloture, or end debate, before voting on Cabinet nominations began in President Trump’s 1st term.
1 Data and analysis are drawn from or based on sources such as congress.gov.
Clinton Bush 2 Obama Trump 1 Biden Trump 2 Average
Percent of Exec Branch Noms Confirmed
2 For more of our research and scholarship, visit our website: www.advancingamericanfreedom.com.
These graphs cover each president’s first nominees confirmed to the principal position in each executive branch department. The figures for Presidents Clinton do not include the Department of Homeland Security, which was created in November 2002.
Clinton Bush 2 Obama Trump 1 Biden Trump 2 Average
Avg Votes Against First Cabinet Nominees
Clinton Bush 2 Obama Trump 1 Biden Trump 2 Average
Avg Days to Confirm First Cabinet Nominees