The Nation - News from Sept. 7, 1989

Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Me.) blamed President Bush for the slow pace at which he is filling top-level posts in the Administration, charging that no nominations have been made for nearly half the positions. Mitchell said that, according to the Congressional Research Service, there are 432 full-time positions in executive departments and independent agencies that require Senate confirmation. That list does not include ambassadors, U.S. marshals or U.S. attorneys. “At this time, there are 200 positions for which there have been no nomination or no announcement that the incumbent will be retained by the Administration,” Mitchell said.