Lawmakers Urge Trump to Staff CFTC for Digital Asset Bill

The bipartisan leaders of the House Agriculture Committee have urgently called on President Donald Trump to fully staff the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, warning that the agency’s current single-commissioner structure threatens its ability to implement a major new digital asset bill advancing in Congress.

In a letter dated May 15, Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson, a Republican, and Ranking Member Angie Craig, a Democrat, asked the president to nominate a full slate of bipartisan commissioners to the CFTC. The lawmakers wrote that a complete commission is essential for the agency to fulfill its core mandate and to prepare for a significant expansion of its responsibilities should the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act become law.

The CFTC, a five-member commission designed for bipartisan balance, has operated with only Chairman Michael Selig since late 2024. Selig assumed the role after the resignation of acting chair Caroline Pham in December 2025. In an April hearing before the committee, Selig stated he did not intend to slow the agency’s rulemaking pace despite the vacancies. The commission has also taken steps to coordinate with other regulators, signing a memorandum...