Search Results: Capitol Hill

SEC Staff Issues Report on “Meme” Stock Events and Market Structure Considerations

The onset of fall signals a sad realization that summer has ended, but also the joy that “market structure” season has arrived for securities industry participants and policy wonks.  Right on cue, in early October, SEC staff issued a report on equity and option market structure conditions related to the…

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CFTC Announces New Climate Risk Unit — the “CRU”

On March 17, 2021, Acting CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam announced that the derivatives regulator had established a new interdivisional group called the Climate Risk Unit or the “CRU” to focus on the derivatives markets’ role in addressing climate-related risk and transitioning to a low-carbon/net-zero economy.  The CRU (sounds like an…

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DOL Will Not Enforce Its Own ESG Rule, But Fiduciaries Should Not Ignore It

The Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced that it will not enforce its own rule on investment duties under ERISA.  The rule makes it more difficult for investment fiduciaries to consider environmental, social, governance and similar (“ESG”) issues in their decision-making.  The ESG rule was finalized under the Trump administration…

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Climate Clash at the Commission?

A flurry of recent climate-related announcements from the SEC forecasts an upcoming policy battle at the agency.  Acting Chair Allison Herren Lee has signaled that “ESG” will clearly be in focus across the SEC’s various divisions, including Examinations, Corporation Finance, and Enforcement.  Presumptive incoming SEC Chairman Gary Gensler also indicated…

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U.S. Paycheck Protection Program Restarts: Summary of Key Updates

On December 27, 2020, the President signed into law the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021” (H.R. 133) (or the “2021 CAA”), which modifies and reopens the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program initially created under the CARES Act. The reopened Paycheck Protection Program is available through March 31, 2021 and,…

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