Washington, D.C. -
President Obama made four recess appointments on Thursday, bypassing the need for Congressional approval for gay nominee Richard Sorian.
Sorian will be the new assistant secretary for public affairs at Health and Human Services.
His nomination had been held up in the Senate for 11 months.
The average delay for all four nominations pushed forward on Thursday was 303 days.
"At a time when our nation faces so many pressing challenges, I urge members of the Senate to stop playing politics with our highly qualified nominees, and fulfill their responsibilities of advice and consent," President Obama said. "Until they do, I reserve the right to act within my authority to do what is best for the American people."
Sorian was actually not the most controversial appointee in this bunch; that title goes to Maria del Carmen Aponte, the new ambassador to El Salvador. She's accused of having a romantic relationship with a Cuban spy.
Sorian will be the new assistant secretary for public affairs at Health and Human Services.
His nomination had been held up in the Senate for 11 months.
The average delay for all four nominations pushed forward on Thursday was 303 days.
"At a time when our nation faces so many pressing challenges, I urge members of the Senate to stop playing politics with our highly qualified nominees, and fulfill their responsibilities of advice and consent," President Obama said. "Until they do, I reserve the right to act within my authority to do what is best for the American people."
Sorian was actually not the most controversial appointee in this bunch; that title goes to Maria del Carmen Aponte, the new ambassador to El Salvador. She's accused of having a romantic relationship with a Cuban spy.
