Showdown Might Be Averted

A compromise might be reached before a veto showdown, for example in a House-Senate conference that would convene after the Senate finishes with the bill. The House version in general complies with the administration’s proposals on personnel, and the two chambers might find common ground, under the pressure of the desire to produce a bill that is acceptable all around. One approach being mentioned is a system in which Congress would continue to apply scrutiny to the new department’s personnel policies as they unfold and step in to block any policies it disfavors. This might be done by creating a phased-in personnel program with designated checkpoints, or by granting the agency demonstration project authority, with congressional approval necessary up-front and after a given time.