Biden Must Wait to Reshape US Regulator

US president-elect Joe Biden may have a smooth inauguration January 20 following the stunning events earlier this week at the Capitol, but he will need to wait until June before giving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Ferc) a Democratic blue hue.

With the swearing in January 4 of Mark Christie (Rep.), nominated in 2020 by outgoing Republican president Donald Trump, Ferc again has a full complement of commissioners – all Trump nominees – and a Republican majority. By statute, Ferc can have no more than three commissioners with the same political affiliation.

Christie will be there the longest – his term won’t expire until June 2025. Biden’s first opportunity to begin reshaping the commission won’t come until June when the term of Neil Chatterjee, a Republican nominated by Trump in 2017 who has served twice as chair, comes to an end.

Richard Glick’s (Dem.) term ends in June 2022 following his nomination in 2017, while James Danly (Rep.), nominated by Trump in March 2020 to serve as Ferc chair, will remain until June 2023. Allison Clements (Dem.), who was sworn in late last year, will remain a commissioner until June 2024.