Free Information From GPO

For John, BLUF:  Government Printing Office outlines high level position in Government.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

Here is a link to the six and a half page list of Policy and Supporting Positions at the Department of Homeland Security.

This is part of a 202 page book published every four years, the Plum Book, UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, Policy and Supporting Positions, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives 112th Congress, 2d Session.  The name Plum Book comes from the color of the cover for the print edition.  It is possible that since I held one in my hands that the color has changed, but not the association with plum positions in the Federal Government.  Back when it also included staff positions on Capitol Hill, it was also known as The Hate Book.  The reason—it included salary information.

From the Forward:

Every four years, just after the Presidential election, the "United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions," commonly known as the Plum Book, is published, alternately, by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

This publication contains data (as of June 30, 2012) on over 8,000 Federal civil service leadership and support positions in the legislative and executive branches of the Federal Government that may be subject to noncompetitive appointment (e.g., positions such as agency heads and their immediate subordinates, policy executives and advisors, and aides who report to these officials).  The duties of many such positions may involve advocacy of Administration policies and programs and the incumbents usually have a close and confidential working relationship with the agency head or other key officials.

On line, the GPO provides subsets of the book in PDF format for all the different agencies (30 to 60 some kilobytes).

Regards  —  Cliff