Analysis of the Nominations Process for Financial Regulators

To date, there has been surprisingly little hard data on the time taken for independent financial regulators to be nominated and confirmed. Through this paper, the Bipartisan Policy Center seeks to provide a factual baseline for America’s recent experience in this process.

It has taken an average of 240 days and a median of 134 days for presidents to decide on a nominee for an independent financial regulatory position. The Senate has taken an average of 137 days and a median of 90 days to resolve a nomination. Measured from vacancy or term expiration, the average independent financial regulatory position has taken just over a year to fill.