(a) During emergency conditions, the respective functions and responsibilities of the Commissioners, the Chairman of the Commission, and the staff members shall be, to the extent possible, as set forth in Subpart A of this part (Sec. 200.1 et seq.).
(b) Action for and in the name of the Commission taken pursuant to this subpart by one or more Commissioners or by a successor as designated in this section shall mean and include the delegated authority to act for the unavailable or incapacitated Commissioners.
(c) Pursuant to the statutes governing the Commission, to Reorganization Plan No. 10 of 1950, and to Pub. L. 100-181, section 308(b), 101 Stat. 1249 (1987), the following automatic delegation of authority is made to provide continuity in the event of an emergency:
(1) In the event of the unavailability or incapacity of the Chairman of the Commission during emergency conditions, the authority of the Chairman to govern the affairs of the Commission and to act for the Commission, as provided for by law and by delegation from the Commission, will pass to the available person highest on the following list, until such time as the Chairman is no longer unavailable or incapacitated, or a successor Chairman has assumed office pursuant to Section 4 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78d) and Reorganization Plan No. 10 of 1950 (15 FR 3175, 64 Stat. 1265):
(i) The Commissioners in order of seniority.
(ii) The General Counsel.
(iii) The Division Directors in the order designated by the Chairman in the most recent designation prior to the commencement of emergency conditions, or if no such designation has occurred, in order of seniority.
(iv) The Regional Directors in the order designated by the Chairman in the most recent designation prior to the commencement of emergency conditions, or if no such designation has occurred, in order of seniority.
(2) If and when a commissioner previously incapacitated or otherwise unavailable, again becomes available, he shall thereupon have all the powers and functions he would have had if he had not been incapacitated or otherwise unavailable.
(d) Actions taken for and in the name of the Commission as described above shall be effective immediately or as specified by the successor acting, but shall be subject to reconsideration by the Commissioners when the Commission has been reconstituted and is functioning.
(e) Except as may be determined otherwise by the Chairman or his successor, the duties of each head of a division or office of the Commission shall be discharged, in the event of the unavailability or incapacity of such person during emergency conditions, by the available staff member next in line of succession. The head of each division or office shall designate the line of succession within his division or office. If no such designation has been made or the designatee is unavailable, such duties shall be assumed by the available subordinate officer or employee in the particular division or office who is highest in grade and in the event that there is more than one such person, in length of service with the Commission. A person who discharges or assumes the duties of the head of a division or office pursuant to this subsection is hereby delegated, throughout the period of the unavailability or incapacity of the head of the division or office during the emergency conditions, all of the functions that the Commission has delegated to the head of the division or office. [28 FR 6970, July 9, 1963, as amended at 28 FR 7672, July 27, 1963; 28 FR 14493, Dec. 31, 1963; 54 FR 40862, Oct. 4, 1989; 59 FR 5945, Feb. 9, 1994; 71 FR 33387, June 9, 2006; 73 FR 32225, June 5, 2008]