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119-hr-7488119th CongressWALLET

CFTC Office of the Chief Economist Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8]

In Committee

Summary

Would create a formal Office of the Chief Economist at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It would make the Chief Economist the Commission's economic advisor, centralize economic and regulatory cost-benefit analysis, and require that market liquidity be considered in Commission oversight.

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  • Commission leaders would have a designated economic advisor and a standing office to run economic analysis, cost-benefit reviews, and related research for rulemaking.
  • The CFTC would be allowed to hire economists, research analysts, and data specialists under a hybrid staffing approach that permits some excepted-service appointments while keeping those roles in the competitive service.
  • Statutory language would change from "futures markets" to "markets under the jurisdiction of the Commission" and add an explicit requirement to consider market liquidity when evaluating markets.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

CFTC adds Chief Economist office

If enacted, the bill would create an Office of the Chief Economist inside the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The office would be led by a Chief Economist who would advise the Commission. The office would do economic analysis, regulatory cost‑benefit reviews, and research. These new analytic duties would take effect upon enactment and could inform future CFTC rulemaking that affects market participants and investors.

CFTC hiring and liquidity rules

If enacted, the bill would require certain CFTC duties to be done after coordinating with the Office of the Chief Economist. It would replace the phrase "futures markets" with "markets under the jurisdiction of the Commission" and add market liquidity to the list of matters the Commission must consider. The bill would let the Commission appoint economists, research analysts, and data specialists who serve that office using excepted‑service appointment rules and without regard to standard competitive‑service rules, while saying such appointments do not convert the position out of the competitive service. These changes would take effect upon enactment and could change CFTC hiring practices and how the agency analyzes and writes market rules.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8]

PA • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 2/11/2026

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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