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Yesterday, President Bush renamed Floyd Hall and Enrique Sosa to Amtrak’s board through recess appointments. The Constitution allows the president to fill vacancies that occur during a congressional recess.

In 2003, the president nominated the two men to the board, but their nominations weren’t confirmed by Congress. Bush recess appointed Hall and Sosa to the Amtrak board in 2004 and their terms ended when the Senate adjourned at the end of its 2005 session. Hall’s and Sosa’s current appointments will expire at the end of the Senate’s 2006 session.

“Their nominations have been before Congress for almost two years, and as there has been no action on either of them, the president has moved to ensure Amtrak’s board has enough members needed to establish a quorum,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta in a prepared statement.

Hall is a retired chairman and chief executive officer of Kmart Corp.; Sosa is a retired CEO of BP Amoco Chemicals.