Energy and Natural Resources Chair Joe Manchin once blocked Laura Daniel-Davis’ rise to a top Interior Department post, but now he could opt — without having to take any action at all — to let her retain the agency’s No. 2 post for the duration of the Biden administration.
Jeff Ruch, who serves as Pacific director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said that while the Senate should confirm nominees generally, allowing an acting official to stay in the deputy post at Interior “wouldn’t impair the operations of the department.”
“It’s not as important as for some other positions, because the No. 2 spot doesn’t have assigned statutory responsibilities,” Ruch said. “That’s where you get into issues where an action is invalidated because it was taken by someone who remained in an acting position past their sell-by date.”
