Bush Running Out of Time on Comptroller Replacement

[seemslikeadream]

Bush Running Out of Time on Comptroller Replacement
Wed Oct 6, 2004 06:31 PM ET

....

A week before Hawke's term expires on Oct. 13, President Bush has yet to decide how to fill the impending vacancy at the helm of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which regulates nationally chartered banks.

"At this point, we have a lot of options before us," said an administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official noted that Bush could decide not to name a replacement before Oct. 13, allowing Hawke's senior deputy, chief counsel Julie Williams, to become acting-comptroller under a provision of the National Banking Act of 1863.

....

"Given the time frame left in the Senate, it would be difficult to schedule a hearing on a nominee when we have yet to receive a nomination," said a spokesman for the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

Bush also has the option of replacing Hawke through a recess appointment.

But congressional officials say that route would anger Senate Democrats at a time when the agency faces legislative concerns about its handling of the Riggs Bank scandal and efforts to ease fair lending rules for banks.

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http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=6433555