Springer picked for OPM

President Bush plans to nominate Linda Springer for director of the Office of Personnel Management, ending her short vacation from the federal government.

Springer resigned from her position as controller and head of the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Federal Financial Management in January, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.

During her tenure, Springer led an effort to revise OMB Circular A-123 to strengthen agencies’ internal financial controls.

Springer also moved up the deadline for agencies’ year-end financial reporting to 45 days after the close of the fiscal year, a deadline only three agencies missed last November.

Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said in a statement that union leaders are looking forward to hearing Springer's positions on a number of issues, including personnel rules, employee rights and retirement benefits.

"The role of OPM is extremely important to federal employees, and the nominee would take charge at a time when half of the federal workforce is facing a dramatic change in working rules and conditions," Kelley said, “and I look forward to learning more about her perspective on human resources management at her confirmation hearing.”

In an interview with Federal Computer Week earlier this year, Springer said she left the controller post not "for lack of energy or motivation or interest. It's just that, frankly, I don't get to spend time with family except on weekends."

Springer joined OMB in 2002 and was controller since March 2003. If confirmed as OPM’s director, she would replace Kay Coles James, who left at the end of Bush’s first term.