Acting CMS Director Weems might be in for the duration of Bush presidency

Via Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report:

Kerry Weems, who President Bush named as acting CMSadministrator earlier this week after he nominated him as permanentagency administrator in May, could remain in the position until Bushleaves office without Senate confirmation, The Hill reports.  As acting CMS administrator, Weems, previously deputy chief of staff for HHSSecretary Mike Leavitt, can remain in the position “indefinitely withthe same legal authority as if he had been confirmed,” and hisappointment “appears to all but eliminate the need for the Senate tocarry out its constitutional advise-and-consent role,” according to The Hill (Young, The Hill, 9/7). 

The Senate has not scheduled a vote to confirm the Weems nomination.  At a July 25 confirmation hearing, Senate Finance CommitteeChair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said that members would not vote on thenomination until they had all of their questions answered. A Democraticspokesperson for the committee on Wednesday declined to provide atimeline for the vote (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 9/6).

WhiteHouse spokesperson Emily Lawrimore said that the Bush administrationwill continue to work with the Senate to have the Weems nominationconfirmed, and an aide to committee member Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.)made a similar statement (The Hill, 9/7).