Senate Confirms 4 EEOC Recess Appointees

The U.S. Senate last week (Dec. 22) confirmed four of President Obama's long-pending nominations to positions at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. An EEOC press release announces the confirmation of Jacqueline A. Berrien to be EEOC Chair; Chai R. Feldblum and Victoria A. Lipnic to be Commissioners; and P. David Lopez as General Counsel. In March the President had given recess appointments to these four (see prior posting).  Christian conservatives had objected particularly to Feldblum's nomination as the first openly gay or lesbian person to be nominated to the EEOC. (See prior posting.) The EEOC enforces federal laws barring discrimination in employment, including the ban on religious discrimination.