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Sen. Merkley presses Mr. Duncan on when he was delegated legislative-affairs duties; Duncan cites nomination timeline
Summary
Sen. Merkley asked when Mr. Duncan became acting deputy director/head of legislative affairs and why Congress was not notified months earlier; Mr. Duncan said he was delegated duties in Dan Bishop’s absence and that his nomination was submitted in April.
Sen. Merkley asked when Mr. Duncan began acting in the role overseeing legislative affairs, suggesting the committee and Congress learned only months later that those duties had been delegated. Merkley asked whether the delegation occurred in November or December and said it would have been relevant to inform congressional offices.
Mr. Duncan responded that the delegation likely occurred in November or December, that he would confirm the exact timeline after the hearing and that he had been filling in for Dan Bishop. He also said his nomination “went up in April,” and that he looked forward to working with the senator on OMB-related topics once confirmed.
What was not resolved: Mr. Duncan did not provide a precise delegation date during the hearing; he offered to follow up with records after the hearing.
Why it matters: Senators said timely notice about who handles legislative affairs matters to congressional communications and oversight. The committee requested the exact delegation timeline as part of its review of agency staffing and notification practices.
Ending: Mr. Duncan offered to provide the exact delegation dates after the hearing; the committee record contains the exchange but does not include the follow-up records.
