:...: .. :·. 951 . · .. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES WASH•NGTON.M. ~. ~ '°'" :· · ... ·.:. ·.·' 1-150136 FEB 2 7 1978 . - .. .~ ~: . The HonoTable ithabeth Holtzman HouH of ltepre.M1ltativea l ., Dear Ml. llolt=azu Thia b in respouae to your letter dated January 30• 1978, concemJ:n& the Hrvice of Mr. James M. lh Gt•&& &• .Acting Admtnhtrator -of the Law EnforceMnt Attiatanee Adm111i1tratlon (LIM). You note that the last pr.,identially appointed Ad .. mi'IJbtrator, B.lchard w•. V~ld•• rea!ped on 1'ebruuy %5, 1977, and at the ti!Ge o,f Mr. Veld•'• re1ipation. Mr. Gr•ia ••• AJ .. datant Adm.ln.t.•·trator, Offiee of Plauning •nd K.taqtae'D.t, the. hi&heat ranking otfici.al then 1erving since the twc>. hputy M• ailihtrator '°dtlon1 were vacant. You inquire •• to the authority tor Mr. Gr•aa to 1erve ea Actln3 AdiJiuiltratoT for lay period in excua of 30 4•1• from the date of Mr. Veld~'e redpatf.C>Q ·in:· { view of the proviliona. of th41! Vacancies A.ct, 5 U.s.c. _II 3345,.3349 ( 1976). You also note that LEM• s enabling aghlaU-on .Jae• not reveal any prC>Viat.on for the appoin\:mitat·- of .-n a,ct!q adminbtrator. By letter date4 F•bruary 10, 1978• we requested the views of the Papar«ment of Justice in regard to Mr. Gr•u• a service but ita eon-· , dckratlon ·ot the urgancy vf th which you view thh utter. :we are 'te•polldi;q vi thOU;~ ..beii•f·i t of • reply, fr~· Jv•tic•. .. . C.Jf&h•• Under 42 u.s.c. I 37ll(a)f'{supp. V, 1975) pTI>rlded for -i>pointtaa the Admini•trator and two Deputy Adminiatrator1 of LUA u follow••. : 't.rhere is hereby eat&bli1hed within the Depart- ment of_ .Juttiee, wder th• general autho-rity o.f the Attorney Geueral, a Law Eitforcement Assistance AA· mini1trat1on· (hereinafter referred to in this chapter -. 'Admin!atration') compo•ed of an Administrator of Law Wore.meat Allliatance and two l,}eputy Adllliniatrators of Law ln.forcament Aadatance, who 0&11 be qpob•ted by the Pretident. by and ~i th the advictt and eouaent of the Stnate. 0 dyb · I ... .... :~· . . . . .·:. ,.• ·-;::.· ·.' :. ·.· ... ···· 1-1501_36 . i ( I Q II ( J s.cu.. 'J'J45/s'4.1{.- S'4i~ ••tht •i.cb••• tltl• 5:• Ualt.ft States Code, proY14e •tt.h fflt tll• ~UJ' filllq of Yaca~1•• cteatecl by the 't••lpatt•, •r •b•nM •f the lMd of m eucutlv• ft' .alUtarr ..,_tuat,· ~i' the hea4 of· • bur~.- tb.r·eof whoM •P'." ,ot.atMat 1- • t n•t.. ill the Ma.I of • opal-meat. s.ct.ioa 3349 el tttl• 5 ..Ua th-~· 4«•41'1"4 -lo the pr•~•tll& seetioits · tk• •Aaa llllbli tile Y&«Hi•• clescrikd the:r.eia• except f.• ~ UH_ •f a Y)C411K1 · ecc.uning dud.q • r•c.e.u of iM Sen&t•. ••1* . fn polit1... whtGh ·are aubjec,t to P-ruidtatia.l ap lu 14Ute C09l.f1nu.ttoa. tut ••~tl-oa b worle.4 a• followss .., :sf!!, o.~tl•• ~Wt•• >1 ! l t r } 1 _\ ta t and · .., be· :·:.·· ttme. •••th or refipati9n fill.ad: tnpotarUy uad•r sec ti cm · A ..Cacy ~u••d by . :·. .'; .· :· 3345• 3i46, or 3347 of thta tltl• for ~t than. 30 D.yt "" ( .! f• Secttoo. '3/ttf.f tltle 5, Cui.ta~: St~tet Code.~ses a JQ..,4ay . U.alt oa t 1orar)' appohltmeat• und•r "•~t1cna 3.345 3:!f.ad· 3347f ) i .·.:. l •re You Ila••· tunhlMci oul' Offtca with a copy o1 ·I.BU InstruetS.011 UlO. laA At•• lept.u.r lOt 19.74., entttled ..,.•tp.at.iois of • ·· Actlq Aatah\~•W.r, WA"'whidl ap,.ar• to h!pl.Ultllt the suoee••l• •~• 1111Uiate4 by H~tlont 3345i33!:1i•• 3l47{of . · uue '• Vllite4 stat• coc1.. Rewn•r, • fiau . • i .LI.AA tutruc"~ l• 1U•t a~ te .t.IM J0.. 4ay Uait hlpoftcl ·1>1 5 u.s.c. I JJ48•)< All of tM .elttd ·atc.ttOM •Ye 4*ri"4 from the M.t of July. 23, · 1161, ell. 227, 1' ltat• u.a. b•retuftei ftfettd to ••. the ' , ...... _.Act•· ~ l•&hlAtin lli•tnf •f the Act ..ab• it.,e!~u ta.at ta pnrilf._. ....,_ coclUlo u. ••etloilt. 33U~th~ah "4'1]0~ title S wn l•tt1Mt4 te pncluu uar.uou.able ._lt.ya ~1a -Al:ai ttlna · .-loati. . fn olflca• aubJ•t te s.,..te coafiimatioa. So •· &•, 39 ~••ll.Ul _OJ.ok 11.3, 1164 (F•brua~ l4t 186&) • . . '.:;. :· la 197) who:*• L. fatrlck. Gtay 111 wae dt•ipated ~tlug Dlnctor of ti.. t..aeral Buren- of laveatla•tion (FBI), we w•rc ••ked to 4ed.4e wMU.i': th• V&UflC.ie• Act wu applieable to the hpartMnt •f J'u.tti.. _, iii tU.a to tkt poti~f,PA of 01.rectoi- of tH r.II. Our otlai.U ta th&t ca••• :a-U0136,f'rebtuary l2t 1973• holding that Ge v..-1.. M~did .tpply, 'WIOUld appe•r to b4 ~ually ai>illiCahl• w MT. Oreg' a aervt~• •. f .. - 2 - · ... ..... :·-'. .-.. ... ··: : 1 I 953 -~ l•U0136 1 •• : . . :: j J ( ,,I I :. ····:' . ..- n. w" h,Utlllllt of Justice clbqr•ed with ou CC>Ubadoe .11l the fatddl Ol'ay ~· TM 'bad• fo'f the Deparmatit*• vi.w that , ll u.1.c. I SlO'f.opera..S.1 .5 u..s . .c. I 3348.j Scetlou '°9tf t.1tle 2& Uaited Stai.a Cocle, plac•• all func.tiQU of the hpartll*ilt of J-.atlc•• vlt1a eertaia acett:leu aot puttnailt 1'ere, tn the Atteftley Caietal .. u...r MC.ti• 5l'tfttae Attcn:oq Geural •'1 autheri.. my otlaer of... of tlN b«pUtamt of Mtic• to pufOft. oy fuMU.eta of A.t.toraey oa.r.i.. Ottt Office vt.m Hett• 56'"J., pl84itll full ~tahility lu th• At'6t1lll1 ~tal for tba functi.ot\$ of lat.a aa-=1• lltwaft.r• uctlon 510,[i•U• ·p•nd.ttiq bim. to . ·. •lepte Iii• f..C:Uou, 4M• aot ta our !)fi1llott aupu.-. ti. pr•..,· . YlliOIU •f tJM ·Vu.el.. JJ,w 150136~ Fetrruuy 22~ 1913. .· . , . · fle.•1' * Ot' ~~ Ac.t.•'fi We note tlaat the ~itton. of Adll.talat-ratOl" b.a• been without. a fet appftOCiataly one ye:ai-. Thi• app.u• to k precbely the aort of "vsu:nao:aal>le" 4•1.ay the Vacnei•• autad w · pruat. Ia tM ab•ftCe of any other a t.at.ut~ P d. ty to..,{ fl 11 the podtioa m a t.empo.:rary bui• outaich tM Vac..aci•• Actif"iw. could• wt tba 30-uy Unlit ts *PPl1c.-.,1e, aa• be&• to nn On: rebruary 26, 1977• the 4.ty afte.t objee-tionabl• J!!:. .!!• The lhb:d type .~f •O.eac~r &oatelllfl•tt.• a vacucy iii. ~ office of Mainittratol'. Since :thi.• ..•. •ituattoa. 1• coveTe4 by t1ae Vae&M:l.ea A4t ad the time bu Hptt•4: .. .u tutca.t.• .... in >! I lr ! i i ..,_tw •ltkae••• ~ .. -.. ·... •' :·-. .. ·:·. .: ....... . .. 1• • w1lia aoyDGt-vhateYer hi• title-may ""• .,. kting A4m,h\1sb:at:ot:; • · lfr. Gr•&& . ., oot fet:fotm tlM .duu.. of •uch c0ffiu. · · We are aUMlful of Uta practical cli:fficultl•• of 1-ing fol"Ced to ru'll a proP'• with no -.e at ,_·. tha htd to make decisions. ... 3 -~ .. / ..... 954 ; :. . ·,· ··. I· 150136 j -l I 1&wftu, matil the h•dclnt •ubm.it• • ncmtnatioa to the ha.at•• such '-cl.sf.Oil• .ca only .,_ mad• legally hy the Atto~ a.neral. .·. ·; ; .. ~ You IMlY• called oui- •tteatioti to the faet that effi~i•l a.cttons Uk.ea by Mr. •uoh •• th« dgatiig of gr.sit ~s, have at. la~t f.• . - . f.nttaneu " • taken in id.• c•taelty. •~ Aasbtant Mll..tatauatft, Offlu of flanaing .-d.M.i'RaitMUt.• liwever, atuu, •• la.licaie• •~• the~ b ao l•t•l au~it1 .. fft Mr. Grecg to oceupy the to•ittoa of kttug Adrahit.tntot' dt\ri111 the vaeuicy •f • th• office of A.drailliatt&to~, tlse validtt.y ~f Mr. G'ugg's utiQDs i• t.lM upad.ty of. Aet1iai Admb1i1uator CO\llcl 1- dl.tleng~d. therefore, lt would ....... that the Attorney ·Gen•ral should giV',y ooasl•eratloe to tatifytng s~ action*• Se• 56 Comp. 761Y (1977). . Orta, ~ ... o.n. ( ·: I j l '.: ·. ... : § ..F.KELLER Deputy j Coa:ipttoller a.n.r•l of th4 United State5 Tl-13:GI8aHq aesd'rrl:oqq.a Ls.Ltrrsb.i:aei:'I n nol.:t? ..b::fas'l 11 ;t~A as.t~ns~sv" ,.... · a 'Jll3MTI'1IoqqA ...teJ: .:tn9-bl' as-rq i:o.t.e'Id'a.trilmf.:.s. ( AA:Ll) rro.t.J s·1.tdrtlmbA e!)n.e.t' .. . . ··'"'. 'XO'it.t.t w.e..I ano.td'::i.b:;tae·n '';bA as.i:!)n,s~sV" 'l~UHcf.s::>.i:LqqA r i t . ·.::. ·.·. 1