Federal Vacancies Reform Act

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Overview

This page has information about the temporary filling of vacant executive positions that require presidential appointment with Senate confirmation.

The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 (Vacancies Reform Act) was enacted on October 21, 1998. (Pub. L. No. 105 -277, Div. C, tit. 1, § 151, 112 Stat. 2681-611-16, codified at 5 U.S.C. §§ 3345-3349d.) The act replaces the prior Vacancies Act, and provides new rules for the temporary filling of vacant executive agency positions that require presidential appointment with Senate confirmation. Under the act, an acting officer may serve in a vacant position for no longer than 210 days, with adjustments to be made if the President submits a nomination to fill the position and for Presidential inaugural transitions.

The act requires executive departments and agencies to report to the Congress and to the Comptroller General certain information about a vacancy immediately upon the occurrence of events specified in the act. The act also provides that the Comptroller General is to report to specified congressional committees, the President, and the Office of Personnel Management if the Comptroller General determines that an acting officer is serving longer than permitted by the act.

GAO's Role

GAO receives and records the information agencies report to the Comptroller General under the act. GAO’s Office of the General Counsel performs outreach to agencies to promote compliance, notifies Congress of violations of the act’s reporting requirements, issues letters to the President and Congress reporting violations of the act’s time limitations, and issues decisions on agency compliance with the act when requested by Congress.

Search Federal Vacancies for Current Administration

This search function is only for vacancy information that federal departments and agencies have actually submitted to GAO. For this reason, the results may not be complete or the most up-to-date information regarding those vacancies.

Search results include:
Position Title, Date vacancy reported to GAO, Vacancy Identification Number, Quick View for more detailed vacancy information

Federal Vacancies for Prior Administrations

Vacancy information for prior administrators is provided below. Each file contains the following information for that administrator: Vacant positions, acting officials, nominees.

Note: Each position has a unique Vacancy Identification Number which may be used to match vacancies with acting officials and nominees. Results include onoly vacancy information that federal departments and agencies have actually submitted to GAO. For this reason, the results may not be complete for the most up-to-date information regarding those vacancies.

E-mail your comments or requests to GAO (use the Vacancy Identification Number if you contact GAO about a particular vacancy.)

Violation Letters and Decisions

Below is a listing of letters reporting violations of the act’s time limitations and decisions on agency compliance GAO has issued.