Bureaucracy-101: January 28, 2017

The US agency that regulates pipelines: FERC. Data points:

• composed of five presidential-appointed / Senate confirmed commissioners
• all positions not always filled; currently only three commissioners
• a quorum (three commissioners) is needed to conduct business
• President Trump elevated a "junior" commissioner to head the agency
• this action by Trump, apparently, miffed the "senior" commissioner who was passed over
• the "senior" commissioner -- being miffed, tendered his/her resignation
• FERC will have two commissioners for most of 2017
• with only two commissioners, the FERC cannot conduct business (they need three members for a quorum)

Currently, the three commissioners: two women and a man.

Guess whether Trump appointed a woman or the male to be the head of the agency?