For some in Washington, going home for the holidays will mean not returning to the nation’s capital in January.

 

Alan Bersin is one such person. The head of Customs and Border Protection will leave his post at the end of this month because Senate Republicans refused, again, to hold a confirmation hearing for an appointee of President Barack Obama.

 

Obama nominated Bersin for the post in September 2009 and he received a Senate confirmation hearing in May 2010, but no confirmation vote was ever held. So on March 27, 2010, Obama gave Bersin a recess appointment that allowed him to serve without confirmation until the end of this year. With the Senate having left town without considering Bersin’s nomination, he had no choice but to step down.

 

Bersin had previously served as “border czar” during the administration of President Bill Clinton, responsible from 1995 to 1998 for coordinating federal law enforcement on the border from South Texas to Southern California.

 

Deputy Commissioner David Aguilar will serve as acting commissioner until Obama takes another stab at appointing a commissioner.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky

 

Customs and Border Protection Chief Steps Down (by Amanda Palleschi, Government Executive)

Senate Republicans Refuse to Confirm Head of Government Printing Office (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)