Several NCLIS Vacancies Remain for Bush
Staff -- Library Journal, 1/15/2001
Fulfilling nominations announced last fall, President Clinton on December 29 made three recess appointments to slots on the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS). The new commissioners are Paulette H. Holahan, retired deputy judicial administrator for public information for the Louisiana Supreme Court (a former NCLIS member); Donald L. Robinson, an adjunct professor of political science at Boston University; and Marilyn Gell Mason, former director of the Cleveland Public Library. Another nominee, former Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen, withdrew from consideration because he felt the financial-disclosure information required by the Senate was too onerous, according to NCLIS Executive Director Bob Willard. Willard said the appointments were critical, because NCLIS needs a quorum of eight to conduct business. The commission has 15 voting members, including the Librarian of Congress, James Billington, who serves ex officio. Two slots remain open. However, the three recess appointments must be confirmed by the Senate by the end of the next congressional session, in late 2001. If not, President Bush could conceivably replace them. Bush will have other opportunities to appoint members. Three members are currently serving an extension year on their five-year terms and could be replaced immediately, and two members will see their terms expire this year. Willard said that, given Bush's commitment to bipartisanship, some members may ask the president to reappoint them.
