Senate confirms full slate of FTC commissioners (updated)

The Senate unanimously confirmed all five of President Trump's nominees to serve on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), bringing the consumer protection agency to full strength for the first time since the start of the new administration. The FTC will now be chaired by Joseph Simons, a Republican antitrust attorney who led the commission's competition bureau during the George W. Bush administration. Also confirmed were two other Republicans — Noah Phillips, an aide to Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), and Delta Air Lines executive Christine Wilson — plus two Democrats — Rohit Chopra, a consumer advocate and former CFPB official, and Rebecca Slaughter, an adviser to Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY).

Update: Politico reports that Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen intends to remain at the FTC until she's confirmed for her new position on the Federal Claims Court. This could mean that Christine Wilson, who's set to take over the remainder of Ohlhausen's term, is sworn in later than the other commissioners. "I look forward to welcoming them to the Commission once their appointments are made final by President Trump," Chairman Ohlhausen said. "I also congratulate Christine, who will take my seat if I am so fortunate as to be confirmed by the Senate as a Judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims."