Sentence:  To the National Rifle Association's delight, the Senate has hobbled the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives by failing to confirm a director since 2006, but Obama hasn't made a recess appointment.... "The President's view of his own power is a constrained one," says White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler. "Many of his nominees have languished, but he's only <WSD>recessed</WSD> the ones that were critical to keep agencies functioning." 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To appoint, with a recess appointment.