Reading Room Document

Appointment and designation of officers of the Department of Housing and Urban Development

The document discusses the effective date of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act and the transfer of functions, powers, and duties to the new department. It also addresses the authority to make recess appointments and the alternative method of filling temporarily the new offices created by the Act. The conclusion reached in the document is that it is essential to take action to prevent a vacuum from existing when the new agency comes into existence. The questions presented for review include the legality and timing of making recess appointments, the designation of officials to perform interim duties, and the potential risks and consequences of a failure to act.

October 29, 1965