In an article by Josiah Ryan posted on www.thehill.com on October 19, 2011, it was reported that Senators Orrin Hatch (R) and Johnny Isakson (R) have prevented confirmation of William J. Boarman, the President’s nominee for head of the U.S. Government Printing Office, because the Democratically-controlled Senate has not scheduled a vote on the nomination of Terence Flynn, a Republican, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board. Mr.Flynn was nominated by President Obama on January 5, 2011, but to-date the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has not approved the nomination, the first step in the Senate’s process.

Currently, there are three Members on the five-member Board:  Chairman Mark Pearce (D), Member Craig Becker (D) and Member Brian Hayes (R).  It appears that on December 31, 2011, the recess appointment of Member Becker will expire.  Should Mr.Flynn be confirmed by the Senate, then after December 31, 2011, the Republican Members would be in the majority.  If Mr. Flynn (or another nominee) is not confirmed this year, then the NLRB would likely be reduced to just two Members and be unable after December 31, 2011, to issue decisions or take other actions under the recent Supreme Court decision in New Process Steel v. NLRB, 30 S. Ct. 635 (2010).