[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 14166]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           EXECUTIVE SESSION

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                           EXECUTIVE CALENDAR

  Mr. BENNETT. I ask unanimous consent the Senate immediately proceed 
to executive session to consider the following nominations on today's 
Executive Calendar: Calendar Nos. 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 
180, 181, 182, 183, and 184.
  I further ask unanimous consent that all of the mentioned nominations 
be confirmed en bloc, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, 
the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the 
Senate then return to legislative session.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The nominations considered and confirmed en bloc are as follows:


                             THE JUDICIARY

       A. Noel Anketell Kramer, of the District of Columbia, to be 
     an Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of 
     Appeals for the term of fifteen years.
       Laura A. Cordero, of the District of Columbia, to be an 
     Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of 
     Columbia for the term of fifteen years.


                   EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

       Linda Morrison Combs, of North Carolina, to be Controller, 
     Office of Federal Financial Management, Office of Management 
     and Budget.


                     OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

       Linda M. Springer, of Pennsylvania, to be Director of the 
     Office of Personnel Management for a term of four years.


                          DEPARTMENT OF STATE

       Emil A. Skodon, of Illinois, a Career Member of the Senior 
     Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be 
     Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United 
     States of America to Brunei Darussalam.
       Joseph A. Mussomeli, of Virginia, a Career Member of the 
     Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be 
     Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United 
     States of America to the Kingdom of Cambodia.
       Larry Miles Dinger, of Iowa, a Career Member of the Senior 
     Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador 
     Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of 
     America to the Republic of the Fiji Islands, and to serve 
     concurrently and without additional compensation as 
     Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United 
     States of America to the Republic of Nauru, the Kingdom of 
     Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Republic of Kiribati.
       Ronald E. Neumann, of Virginia, a Career Member of the 
     Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be 
     Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United 
     States of America to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
       Gregory L. Schulte, of Virginia, to be Representative of 
     the United States of America to the Vienna Office of the 
     United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador.


                   INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

       Gregory L. Schulte, of Virginia, to be Representative of 
     the United States of America to the International Atomic 
     Energy Agency, Vienna Office of the United Nations, with the 
     rank of Ambassador.


           UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

       Michael E. Hess, of New York, to be an Assistant 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development, vice Roger P. Winter, resigned.


                          DEPARTMENT OF STATE

       Dina Habib Powell, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary 
     of State (Educational and Cultural Affairs), vice Patricia de 
     Stacy Harrison.


                      Nomination of Linda Springer

  Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, I would like to thank the Senate for 
its expeditious consideration of Ms. Linda Springer of Pennsylvania to 
be the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
  On Wednesday, June 15, I chaired a hearing of the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to consider the nomination 
of Ms. Springer. One week later, the committee unanimously approved her 
nomination. As my colleagues in the Senate know, I am committed to 
finding solutions to the human capital challenges of the Federal 
Government. Clearly, there is no more important partner in the 
executive branch of Government than the Director of the Office of 
Personnel Management in addressing these issues.
  The Federal civil service now is undergoing the most dramatic changes 
in more than a quarter century. For example, agencies are implementing 
new performance management and a related pay for performance systems 
for the senior executive service. The Department of Homeland Security 
and the Department of Defense are designing new, modern, and flexible 
personnel systems to meet their national security missions. As these 
and other reforms continue, leadership from the Office of Personnel 
Management is imperative to guarantee that the merit principles that 
are the core of our Federal civil service are upheld and that the new 
personnel systems are fair and equitable for employees.
  During the committee's hearing, I found Ms. Springer to be focused, 
dedicated, and more than capable of taking on this important job. Prior 
to the hearing, I met with Ms. Springer in my office and was impressed 
with her candor and recognition of the challenges confronting the 
workforce.
  Ms. Springer's experience in the private sector and as Controller of 
the Office of Management and Budget has prepared her to lead this 
Federal agency. Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to support this 
nomination. Thank you.

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