The Constitution
Appointments Clause
Article II's rule for filling federal offices: principal officers need Senate confirmation, while Congress may vest inferior officer appointments elsewhere.
In full
The clause draws the line between principal officers, who must be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and inferior officers, whose appointment Congress may give to the President alone, courts, or department heads. Litigation over whether an official is an officer at all, and which kind, has invalidated actions by administrative judges and agency boards.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.