Two more join Interior team

FROM THE ARCHIVE

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2002

Growing, but not yet complete, Secretary of Interior Gale Norton's war cabinet has gained some new members.

On Friday, the Senate unanimously confirmed two more Norton aides. Taking on the task of Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management is Rebecca Watson while Craig Manson is the new Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Welcoming both into her department yesterday, Norton showered them with the usual glowing phrases. She described Watson as "a consensus builder that listens to all sides" and and pointed out Manson's "broad experience in wildlife and natural resource management."

The same accolades couldn't be awarded to other Interior appointees who are caught in a mosh. Steven Williams was nominated in July to run the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and even went before the Senate for a confirmation hearing.

But a dispute over duck hunting and the the Everglades has left him in the lurch. It's a North v. South issue as lawmakers battle one another over who gets to shoot more birds and spend more money.

The holdup isn't stopping Williams from working, though. Earlier this month, he quit his job as head of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and took on a job as a "consultant" for the Interior.

Jeffrey Jarrett wishes he had it so easy. Picked to direct the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation that same day back in July, Democrats dangled a confirmation hearing in front of him only to take it back.

After a review of some allegations he shared private personnel data with his future employer, Jarrett eventually got his say in December. The full Senate, however, has yet to act on his nomination.

The War Cabinet
Position	Nominated	Confirmed
Secretary Gale Norton	12/29/00	1/30/01
Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles	3/8/01	7/12/01
Solicitor Bill Myers	3/29/01	7/12/01
Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget Lynn Scarlett	4/3/01	7/12/01
Assistant Secretary - Water and Science Bennett Raley	4/16/01	7/12/01
Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Neal McCaleb	4/17/01	6/29/01
National Park Services Director Fran Mainella	6/4/01	7/12/01
Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner John Keys III	6/15/01	7/12/01
Fish and Wildife Service Director Steve Williams	7/18/01	pending
Assistant Secretary - Fish, Wildlife and Parks Craig Manson	7/18/01	1/25/02
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation Director Jeffrey Jarrett	7/18/01	pending
Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke	8/27/01	12/20/01
Assistant Secretary - Land Management Rebecca Watson	11/6/01	1/25/02

Department of Interior Profiles:
Deputy Secretary: J. Steven Griles (3/9)
Solicitor: Bill G. Myers (3/30)
Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget: P. Lynn Scarlett (4/4)
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs: Neal McCaleb (4/18)

Relevant Links:
Confirmation Countdown, the Presidential Appointee Initiative (updated every Monday) - http://www.appointee.brookings.org
Appointee Resource Center (with daily updates to Appointee rumor mill) - http://www.appointee.brookings.org/resourcecenter/resourcecenter.htm