Executive Action

Alex Parker, my new(ish, at this point) beat partner had a good story up on Friday about how John Berry plans to pursue hiring reform independent of Congressional action. He'll be focusing on a move to resumes rather than knowledge, skills and abilities statements, something Sens. Daniel Akaka and George Voinovich have introduced a bill to do as well.

I think this is significant, not only because hiring process reform is important, but because it indicates a pattern. This is the third (at least on this beat, anyway) move the Obama administration has made to tackle problems by executive action that have been awaiting legislative solutions. Berry's announcement that the Office of Personnel Management will implement a new telework policy similar to the change proposed by a group of Virginia and Maryland lawmakers was one step in that direction. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's announcement that he had appointed arbitrators to handle negotiations on a new contract between the air traffic controllers' union and the Federal Aviation Administration was another: the lack of a ratified contract between the two became a sticking point in passing FAA reauthorization legislation in the last session of Congress. It seems clear to me that the administration is designing an activist role for the executive branch agencies, given Congress room to innovate, rather than cajole the agencies to take action.