Published on January 20, 2025
This presidential action appears to be a sweeping leadership change across multiple federal regulatory agencies and commissions, likely occurring at the start of a new presidential administration on January 20, 2025. The action designates new chairs or acting chairs for fifteen crucial regulatory bodies, including the FCC, SEC, FDIC, and several other key oversight agencies that govern communications, financial markets, labor relations, and civil rights.
The timing and comprehensive nature of this leadership overhaul suggests a coordinated effort to reshape federal regulatory oversight in a single stroke, potentially circumventing the usual deliberative process of gradual transitions. The heavy use of "acting" chairs for several critical agencies like the SEC and FDIC could indicate an intention to bypass Senate confirmation processes, allowing for more immediate control over these regulatory bodies while potentially limiting congressional oversight and public scrutiny of the appointees' qualifications and agenda.
While presented as a routine transition of leadership, this coordinated replacement of regulatory leadership across multiple agencies represents a significant consolidation of control over federal oversight functions. The public should be particularly attentive to how these new appointees alter their agencies' regulatory approaches and enforcement priorities, especially given the potential for reduced congressional oversight through the use of acting appointments.
I hereby designate the following: Brendan CarrChairman of the Federal Communications CommissionMark ChristieChairman of Federal Energy Regulatory CommissionHenry KernerActing Chairman of the Merit Systems Protection BoardAndrew FergusonChair of the Federal Trade CommissionMarvin KaplanChair of the National Labor Relations BoardDavid WrightChair of the Nuclear Regulatory CommissionMark UyedaActing Chair of the Securities and Exchange CommissionAndrea LucasActing Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionTravis HillActing Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance CorporationKyle HauptmanChair of the National Credit Union Administration BoardPeter KirsanowChairperson of the United States Commission on Civil RightsSteven GilchrestVice Chairperson of the United States Commission on Civil RightsJeffrey HallChair of the Farm Credit Administration Board, Farm Credit AdministrationPatrick FuchsChair of the Surface Transportation BoardLouis E. SolaChair of the Federal Maritime Commission THE WHITE HOUSE, January 20, 2025.