 Persistent federal leadership vacancies are making it harder for agencies to fulfill their missions. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman explains. Across government, there are hundreds of senior positions that require a presidential nomination and confirmation from the Senate. But many of those positions have remained empty for years. That's according to new analysis from the Partnership for Public Service. 21 positions have been completely vacant since the Obama administration. And since 2016, over 80 roles have been unfilled for more than half the time.