The Periodically Listing Updates to Management (PLUM) Act, which aims to increase the transparency of senior government leaders, has been included in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the House late Sept. 23.
The PLUM Act was first introduced in 2020 by Reps. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and John Sarbanes, D-Md., which calls on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to set up and maintain a current and publicly available online directory of senior government leaders.
“Americans have a right to know who is serving in the highest levels of government, and the PLUM Act makes important strides to regain and improve public trust,” Rep. Maloney said on the House floor this week. “It’s time to bring decency, transparency, and accountability to the American people.”
Currently, the Plum Book, which lists all the positions appointed by the president, is released once every four years.
“The Plum book provides only a snapshot in time and does not reflect changes that occur between publications,” Rep. Maloney, chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, said during a committee markup session in June. “As a result, current information about senior administration officials is often outdated and difficult to find. In the digital age, providing Americans with a list of top Federal officials only once every four years is simply unacceptable.”
The PLUM Act amendment also includes reporting requirements from the Political Appointments Inclusion and Diversity Act (PAID Act), which was introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. This will require the Office of Personnel Management to work with the White House to create a publicly available summary of demographic information on political appointees.
