Overview[]
The Board of Governors oversees the Federal Reserve System. It is made up of seven members who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The full term of a Board member is 14 years, and the appointments are staggered so that one term expires on each even-numbered year. After serving a full term, a Board member may not be reappointed. If a member leaves the Board before his or her term expires, however, the person appointed and confirmed to serve the remainder of the term may be later reappointed to a full term.
The Chairman and Vice Chairman lead the Board. They are also appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The nominees to these posts must already be members of the Board or must be simultaneously appointed to the Board. The terms for these positions are four years, but the Chairman and Vice Chairman may be reappointed for additional four-year terms, as long as their term as Board member is active.