Bush Skirts Senate to Appoint Defense Official

President Bush bypassed the Senate to install former Navy Secretary Gordon R. England as deputy secretary of Defense.

England had been serving as acting deputy Defense secretary since Paul D. Wolfowitz left the No. 2 Pentagon post last May to become head of the World Bank. England's nomination for the deputy secretary position had stalled in the Senate.

Under the Constitution, the president may circumvent the confirmation process by making appointments while the Senate is in recess.