The U.S. Senate has confirmed Gary L. Visscher's appointment to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), returning the independent federal agency to a quorum. However, Stuart E. Weisberg's reappointment awaits Senate confirmation.
While President Clinton won't reappoint Weisberg before senators return from a recess the week of June 7, it still is unclear when the confirmation might happen, said Joe Karpinski, communications director for the Senate labor committee. A Senate confirmation would be a six-year term, whereas a presidential recess appointment would be for a year.
Weisberg served as commission chairman from February 1994 to April 27 of this year, when his term expired. It marked the first time since a nearly one-year stint in 1997 and 1998 that the OSHRC contained only one of its three commissioners. Without at least two members, the panel cannot settle disputes over OSHA citations and penalties.
Visscher, a Republican, received Senate confirmation May 20 for a term expiring April 27, 2001. He will finish the six-year term of Edwin G. Faulke Jr., who was replaced by Dan Guttman an a one-year, recess appointment from 1996 to 1997. The position had been vacant since then.
Succeeding Weisberg as chair is Thomasina Rogers, who was appointed by Clinton. Rogers began her term in October and will serve until April 2003. The six-year term was unfilled for more than a year.