WASHINGTON – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., issued the following statement regarding the recess appointments of Julie Myers to head the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Tracy Henke to lead the Office of State and Local Coordination and Preparedness:
“I am deeply disturbed by the President’s decision to bypass the Senate and unilaterally install Tracy Henke and Julie Myers in Department positions for which Senate confirmation is required. I am particularly troubled that the President chose to appoint Ms. Henke before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee even had the opportunity to vote on her nomination. “The recess appointment power should be sparingly used, and not merely to avoid having to put Administration nominees to a vote. Although significant questions have been raised about these nominees, there has been no suggestion that either of them would be denied an up-or-down vote in the Senate. It shows a level of disrespect for the Senate and for the American people, on whose behalf the Senate acts, to use the recess appointment power to avoid scrutiny and Senate review of Presidential nominees. I hope that the Homeland Security Committee engages in particularly searching oversight over these officials’ actions while they are in office to ensure that they appropriately discharge their duties.”