In passing the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, Congress explained: “Any disruption occasioned by the transfer of the executive power could produce results detrimental to the safety and well-being of the United States and its people.” To promote the orderly transfer of power, Congress established a framework for the federal government to prepare for a transition from one president to another.

The Center for Presidential Transition’s advisory board, comprised of four former leaders of presidential transitions, released a letter laying out the stakes in 2024 and calling for early, meticulous attention to planning from both the challenger candidate and incumbent president.

New data from the Center for Presidential Transition® shows that when there are multiple levels of political appointments requiring Senate confirmation that report to one another, it takes longer to confirm appointees each layer you go down.

Data from the Center for Presidential Transition compares nominations and Senate confirmations from the most recent four presidents during their first three years in office.

The large number of political appointments requiring Senate confirmation needs urgent review, and that review should include part-time positions to federal boards and commissions.