Chairman Carper Statement on Nomination of Katherine Archuleta to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management

WASHINGTON— Today, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.) reacted to President Obama’s decision to nominate Katherine Archuleta to be Director of the Office of Personnel Management. Chairman Carper has called on the Obama Administration to quickly work to nominate qualified individuals to fill key management level positions that are vacant.

“I have long been concerned about the effect that numerous vacancies in senior positions throughout government have had on the efficiency and effectiveness of our federal government,” said Chairman Carper. “This problem has become so prevalent in both Republican and Democratic Administrations that I often refer to it as Executive Branch ‘Swiss Cheese.’ At any given moment we are lacking critical leadership in numerous positions in just about every agency, undermining the effectiveness of our government. While Congress and the Administration have taken steps to address this problem, the fact remains that we still have more work to do to ensure that we have talented people in place to make critical decisions. The Office of Personnel Management is no exception, so I am very glad that President Obama has put forward a nominee to lead this important agency. I look forward to meeting Ms. Archuleta and working with my colleagues on the Committee to consider her nomination in a thorough and timely manner.”

Katherine Archuleta most recently served as National Political Director for Obama for America, a position she held from 2011 to 2012. Prior to this, Ms. Archuleta served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Labor from 2009 to 2011. From October 2005 to May 2009, she served as a Senior Advisor on Policy and Initiatives for the City and County of Denver, Colorado and previously served as the Executive Director of the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation from 2002 to 2005. Ms. Archuleta was the Director of Professional Services for Davis, Graham and Stubbs, LLP from 2000 to 2002 and Co-Founder and Principal of the Center for Regional and Neighborhood Acton from 1997 to 2000. She served as Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy in 1997. From 1993 to 1997, Ms. Archuleta served at the U.S. Department of Transportation, first as Deputy Chief of Staff and then as Chief of Staff. She received a B.A. from Metropolitan State College and a M.Ed. from the University of Northern Colorado.