Making Last-Minute History at GPO

Public printer William Boarman, whose long-term appointment by President Obama continues to be blocked in the Senate, made history on Tuesday by naming the first female to the second-highest slot at the Government Printing Office. Davita Vance-Cooks will serve as deputy public printer, GPO announced, having completed nearly a year as chief of staff .

"Over the past year, Davita Vance-Cooks has been a leading member of GPO's senior management team in developing and carrying out our program of reducing the size and cost of GPO, streamlining our operations, and utilizing new technology, a program that has yielded positive results for the government and the taxpayers," Boarman said in a statement.

Vance-Cooks has been at GPO for eight years and has 22 years of private-sector experience, including work in information technology in the health insurance field.

Boarman, a labor union veteran who says he probably will leave government at the end of the month, appears baffled by the unidentified Senate opposition to his confirmation.

"I don't know of anybody that's opposed to me," he told The Washington Post.

"It's really a strange situation," he said. "I'm very disappointed, but I'm honored that the president chose me and we were able to make some changes at the agency."