FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2013  

Contact:  Megan Kindelan
202-480-2091
mkindelan@acus.gov

Boris Bershteyn Steps Down as ACUS Council Member
 Says ACUS Brings Legitimacy to Common-Sense Executive Branch Improvements

Washington, D.C., April 17, 2013 – The Administrative Conference of the United States announced that Boris Bershteyn has resigned from the presidentially appointed Council upon leaving government service.

“The principal contribution of ACUS is to bring together senior government officials and a diverse group of outside interests to work together in a deliberative, collaborative process to find ways to improve the operation of government and the administrative process,” said Bershteyn, who stepped down as the General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) last month.

From August 2012 to March 2013, he was the Acting Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.  He has served as OMB’s General Counsel since July 2011.

“Change can be particularly hard for an institution the size of the executive branch,” Bershteyn said.  “When common-sense improvements to the administrative state are needed, ACUS’s thorough, scholarly, and transparent process brings credibility and legitimacy to the reform proposals.”

Bershteyn attributed the Conference’s effectiveness to three key components of its process.  ACUS recommendations are “supported by the research of consultants who are prominent experts in their field.” The recommendations are also the result of “highly transparent deliberations among ACUS’s specialized committee members and ultimately all of its members so the public can genuinely see how the ideas evolve and actively participate in those deliberations.”  Lastly, Bershteyn cited the “important non-partisan credentials” of the Conference’s members, which give credence to the final recommendations.

Conference Chairman Paul Verkuil said that Bershteyn’s departure is a great loss to the Council.  “During the last two years, Boris has been instrumental in helping ensure that recommendations the Conference adopts are of the highest caliber,” said Verkuil.  “We have been lucky to have such a creative mind on the Council, and I wish Boris well as he moves on to his next career success.”   

Bershteyn said ACUS overcame some unusual challenges in trying to reassert itself after a 15-year hiatus. 

“Chairman Verkuil has done a truly outstanding job of not just appointing a very talented group of members and initiating the recommendation process, but of making sure those recommendations get translated into real policies,” said Bershteyn.  “An important example of this is Executive Order 13609 on international regulatory cooperation, which is based in part on the recommendation adopted by ACUS on that topic.”  

When asked what he viewed as the Conference’s greatest accomplishment during his time on the Council, Bershteyn said that “in addition to its bread-and-butter work on research and recommendations, ACUS has done particular projects for some government agencies that are looking for in-depth scholarly assistance.  Every month or so, I hear about ideas coming from agencies or congressional staff about other projects that ACUS could tackle.”

“I think that’s a real sign that ACUS has re-established itself as a vital institution for some of the most important, innovative projects occurring in government today,” added Bershteyn, who will be returning to work in the private sector following his departure from OMB.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boris Bershteyn, Thomasina Rogers, and Preeta Bansal being sworn in during the 55th Plenary Session in December 2011.

About ACUS

The Administrative Conference of the United States is an independent federal agency dedicated to improving the administrative process through consensus-driven applied research, providing nonpartisan expert advice and recommendations for improvement of federal agency procedures. Its membership is composed of senior federal officials, academics, and other experts from the private sector with diverse views and backgrounds.  With the exception of the Chairman, all Conference Members are unpaid.

The Conference is committed to promoting effective public participation and efficiency in the rulemaking process by leveraging interactive technologies and encouraging open communication with the public, making improvements to the regulatory process by reducing unnecessary litigation, and improving the use of science and the effectiveness of applicable laws. Learn more at www.acus.gov.

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