Fedweek

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has approved the nomination of Beth Cobert to formally take over as OPM director; she has been serving in an acting capacity since former director Katherine Archuleta resigned last summer. However, confirmation by the full Senate may be held up by a dispute over OPM’s handling of an Affordable Care Act provision that required members of Congress and certain staff to leave the FEHB for the exchange system set up by that law. The policy allows them to continue receiving an employer contribution toward premiums if they enroll in one particular plan designed for small businesses. Although that decision long predates Cobert’s arrival at OPM, some senators have been pressing the agency to justify its policy and have threatened to hold up her confirmation until they receive a response they consider satisfactory. The same issue caused the confirmation of Archuleta to be held up for a time in 2013 and later resulted in the withdrawal of a nominee to be deputy director (OPM hasn’t had a deputy director for nearly five years). If not confirmed, Cobert presumably could remain in the position through the remainder of the Obama administration.