About the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998

The Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 (Vacancies Reform Act) was enacted on October 21, 1998. (Pub. L. No. 105 -277, Div. C, tit. 1, §151, 112 Stat. 2681-611-16, codified at 5 U.S.C.§§3345-3349d.) The Act replaces the prior Vacancies Act, and provides new rules for the temporary filling of vacant executive agency positions that require presidential appointment with Senate confirmation. Under the Act, an acting officer may serve in a vacant position for no longer than 210 days, with adjustments to be made if the President submits a nomination to fill the position and under other specified circumstances.

The Act requires executive departments and agencies to report to the Congress and to the Comptroller General certain information about a vacancy immediately upon the occurrence of events specified in the Act. The Act also provides that the Comptroller General is to report to specified congressional committees, the President, and the Office of Personnel Management if the Comptroller General determines that an acting officer is serving longer than permitted by the Act.

GAO's Role

GAO receives and records the information agencies report to the Comptroller General under the Act. Note: The search functions on this website access only the vacancy information that federal departments and agencies have actually submitted to GAO. For this reason, the results may not be complete or the most up-to-date information regarding those vacancies.