UPDATE: The House passed the legislation Tuesday night by a vote of 261-116. The bill now goes to President Obama\u2019s desk for his signature.<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives is set to consider legislation Tuesday that would exempt certain presidential appointees from having to be confirmed by the Senate.<\/p>\n
But a number of conservative groups are arguing that the \u201cPresidential Efficiency and Streamlining Act\u201d amounts to Congress neutering itself and giving the executive branch unprecedented power.<\/p>\n
Presidential appointees that would no longer require Senate confirmation under the legislation include the treasurer of the United States and the deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe United States Constitution does not bestow kingly powers on the President to appoint the senior officers of the government with no process,\u201d wrote Thomas McClusky, the senior vice president for the Family Research Council\u2019s legislative arm, in a Monday memo to lawmakers.<\/p>\n
Sources told The Daily Caller that there is concern in the ranks among conservatives opposed to the legislation that House leaders will bring the legislation up for a voice vote to avoid putting members on the record.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can tell you that there will be members who want this vote on the record,\u201d an aide to one conservative member told TheDC. \u201cWhether or not they\u2019ll get the chance is still in question.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cIf the Senate wants to streamline the process, it should eliminate some of the administration\u2019s positions,\u201d McClusky wrote.<\/p>\n
The legislation, sponsored by New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, passed the Senate in June 2011, with 20 Republicans voting against it. The Senate bill has 17 co-sponsors, including both Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.<\/p>\n
McClusky of FRC Action estimated in his memo that \u201cthousands of positions would be filled by the President without any Senate vetting.\u201d<\/p>\n
The legislation would affect appointments across the executive branch, including to the Defense, Homeland Security and Justice departments.<\/p>\n
Referencing the Obama administration, McClusky wrote that, \u201cIn an administration that\u2019s already circumvented Congress with dozens of controversial \u2018czars\u2019 this would mean even less accountability for the White House.\u201d<\/p>\n