DAVID E. BELL

Precursor to the U. S. Office of Management and Budget. In the middle of the 20th century Congress allotted the White House only a small staff. The Presidency had grown much more complicated with many complex areas of expertise needed. So Presidents began to “borrow” staff from the Bureau of the Budget. Congress steadily increased the size of the White House staff until William Clinton slightly reduced the staff as a symbol of his balanced budget policies. All Presidents augment their staffs for special purposes by borrowing staff from other government agencies for specific needs. By modern standards the early Presidents had tiny staffs of just one secretary. Even in the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln he only had a military aide and two secretaries.

Precursor to the U. S. Office of Management and Budget. In the middle of the 20th century Congress allotted the White House only a small staff. The Presidency had grown much more complicated with many complex areas of expertise needed. So Presidents began to “borrow” staff from the Bureau of the Budget. Congress steadily increased the size of the White House staff until William Clinton slightly reduced the staff as a symbol of his balanced budget policies. All Presidents augment their staffs for special purposes by borrowing staff from other government agencies for specific needs. By modern standards the early Presidents had tiny staffs of just one secretary. Even in the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln he only had a military aide and two secretaries.