On September 30, 2019, President Trump nominated James Danly, the current FERC General Counsel, to serve as a Republican Commissioner on FERC, with a term ending in 2023. Danly would fill the seat vacated by the passing of Chairman Kevin McIntyre.

Danly’s confirmation will help resolve FERC quorum issues that arose out of Commissioners Glick’s and McNamee’s recusals. The Democratic Commissioner seat vacated by Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur remains unfilled, with rumors that a Democratic nomination may not be paired with Danly’s Republican nomination.

Danly graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2013 and was an associate in the Energy Regulation and Litigation Group at the Skadden law firm prior to becoming FERC’s General Counsel in September 2017. He has spoken publicly about his philosophy of the “humble regulator,” whereby FERC should not use the full extent of its jurisdiction.