HR 2989 — Financial Transparency Act of 2021

(a) Definitions (1) In general As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires— (A) Savings association The term “savings association” includes a savings bank or cooperative bank which is deemed by the appropriate Federal banking agency to be a savings association under subsection (l). (B) Uninsured institution The term “uninsured institution” means any depository institution the deposits of which are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. (C) Company The term “company” means any corporation, partnership, trust, joint-stock company, or similar organization, but does not include the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Resolution Trust Corporation, any Federal home loan bank, or any company the majority of the shares of which is owned by the United States or any State, or by an instrumentality of the United States or any State. (D) Savings and loan holding company (i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii), the term “savings and loan holding company” means any company that directly or indirectly controls a savings association or that controls any other company that is a savings and loan holding company. (ii) Exclusion The term “savings and loan holding company” does not include— (I) a bank holding company that is registered under, and subject to, the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.), or to any company directly or indirectly controlled by such company (other than a savings association); (II) a company that controls a savings association that functions solely in a trust or fiduciary capacity as described in section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841(c)(2)(D)); or (III) a company described in subsection (c)(9)(C) solely by virtue of such company’s control of an intermediate holding company established pursuant to section 1467b of this title. (E) Multiple savings and loan holding company The term “multiple savings and loan holding company” means any savings and loan holding company which directly or indirectly controls 2 or more savings associations. (F) Diversified savings and loan holding company The term “diversified savings and loan holding company” means any savings and loan holding company whose subsidiary savings association and related activities as permitted under paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this section represented, on either an actual or a pro forma basis, less than 50 percent of its consolidated net worth at the close of its preceding fiscal year and of its consolidated net earnings for such fiscal year, as determined in accordance with regulations issued by the appropriate Federal banking agency. (G) Subsidiary The term “subsidiary” has the same meaning as in section 1813 of this title. (H) Affiliate The term “affiliate” of a savings association means any person which controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such savings association. (I) Bank holding company The terms “bank holding company” and “bank” have the meanings given to such terms in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 [12 U.S.C. 1841]. (J) Acquire The term “acquire” has the meaning given to such term in section 1823(f)(8) of this title. (2) Control For purposes of this section, a person shall be deemed to have control of— (A) a savings association if the person directly or indirectly or acting in concert with one or more other persons, or through one or more subsidiaries, owns, controls, or holds with power to vote, or holds proxies representing, more than 25 percent of the voting shares of such savings association, or controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of such association; (B) any other company if the person directly or indirectly or acting in concert with one or more other persons, or through one or more subsidiaries, owns, controls, or holds with power to vote, or holds proxies representing, more than 25 percent of the voting shares or rights of such other company, or controls in a...

(a) Registration of bank holding company Within one hundred and eighty days after May 9, 1956, or within one hundred and eighty days after becoming a bank holding company, whichever is later, each bank holding company shall register with the Board on forms prescribed by the Board, which shall include such information with respect to the financial condition and operations, management, and intercompany relationships of the bank holding company and its subsidiaries, and related matters, as the Board may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The Board may, in its discretion, extend the time within which a bank holding company shall register and file the requisite information. A declaration filed in accordance with section 1843(l)(1)(C) 1 of this title shall satisfy the requirements of this subsection with regard to the registration of a bank holding company but not any requirement to file an application to acquire a bank pursuant to section 1842 of this title. (b) Regulations and orders The Board is authorized to issue such regulations and orders, including regulations and orders relating to the capital requirements for bank holding companies, as may be necessary to enable it to administer and carry out the purposes of this chapter and prevent evasions thereof. In establishing capital regulations pursuant to this subsection, the Board shall seek to make such requirements countercyclical, so that the amount of capital required to be maintained by a company increases in times of economic expansion and decreases in times of economic contraction, consistent with the safety and soundness of the company. (c) Reports and examinations (1) Reports (A) In general The Board, from time to time, may require a bank holding company and any subsidiary of such company to submit reports under oath to keep the Board informed as to— (i) its financial condition, systems for monitoring and controlling financial and operating risks, and transactions with depository institution subsidiaries of the bank holding company; and (ii) compliance by the bank holding company or subsidiary with— (I) this chapter; (II) Federal laws that the Board has specific jurisdiction to enforce against the company or subsidiary; and (III) other than in the case of an insured depository institution or functionally regulated subsidiary, any other applicable provision of Federal law. (B) Use of existing reports and other supervisory information The Board shall, to the fullest extent possible, use— (i) reports and other supervisory information that the bank holding company or any subsidiary thereof has been required to provide to other Federal or State regulatory agencies; (ii) externally audited financial statements of the bank holding company or subsidiary; (iii) information otherwise available from Federal or State regulatory agencies; and (iv) information that is otherwise required to be reported publicly. (C) Availability Upon the request of the Board, the bank holding company or a subsidiary of the bank holding company shall promptly provide to the Board any information described in clauses (i) through (iii) of subparagraph (B). (2) Examinations (A) In general Subject to subtitle B of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 [12 U.S.C. 5511 et seq.], the Board may make examinations of a bank holding company and each subsidiary of a bank holding company in order to— (i) inform the Board of— (I) the nature of the operations and financial condition of the bank holding company and the subsidiary; (II) the financial, operational, and other risks within the bank holding company system that may pose a threat to— (aa) the safety and soundness of the bank holding company or of any depository institution subsidiary of the bank holding company; or (bb) the stability of the financial system of the United States; and (III) the systems of the bank holding company for monitoring and controlling the risks described in subclause (II); and (ii) monit...

(a) Reports (1) In general The Board of Governors may require each nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors, and any subsidiary thereof, to submit reports under oath, to keep the Board of Governors informed as to— (A) the financial condition of the company or subsidiary, systems of the company or subsidiary for monitoring and controlling financial, operating, and other risks, and the extent to which the activities and operations of the company or subsidiary pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States; and (B) compliance by the company or subsidiary with the requirements of this subchapter. (2) Use of existing reports and information In carrying out subsection (a), the Board of Governors shall, to the fullest extent possible, use— (A) reports and supervisory information that a nonbank financial company or subsidiary thereof has been required to provide to other Federal or State regulatory agencies; (B) information otherwise obtainable from Federal or State regulatory agencies; (C) information that is otherwise required to be reported publicly; and (D) externally audited financial statements of such company or subsidiary. (3) Availability Upon the request of the Board of Governors, a nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors, or a subsidiary thereof, shall promptly provide to the Board of Governors any information described in paragraph (2). (4) Data standards for reports under this subsection (A) In general The Board of Governors shall adopt data standards for all information that, through a collection of information, is regularly filed with or submitted to the Board of Governors under this subsection by any nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors or any subsidiary thereof. (B) Consistency The data standards required under subparagraph (A) shall incorporate, and ensure compatibility with (to the extent feasible), all applicable data standards established in the rules promulgated under section 5334 of this title, including, to the extent practicable, by having the characteristics described in clauses (i) through (vi) of subsection (c)(1)(B) of section 5334 of this title. (b) Examinations (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the Board of Governors may examine any nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors and any subsidiary of such company, to inform the Board of Governors of— (A) the nature of the operations and financial condition of the company and such subsidiary; (B) the financial, operational, and other risks of the company or such subsidiary that may pose a threat to the safety and soundness of such company or subsidiary or to the financial stability of the United States; (C) the systems for monitoring and controlling such risks; and (D) compliance by the company or such subsidiary with the requirements of this subchapter. (2) Use of examination reports and information For purposes of this subsection, the Board of Governors shall, to the fullest extent possible, rely on reports of examination of any subsidiary depository institution or functionally regulated subsidiary made by the primary financial regulatory agency for that subsidiary, and on information described in subsection (a)(2). (c) Coordination with primary financial regulatory agency The Board of Governors shall— (1) provide reasonable notice to, and consult with, the primary financial regulatory agency for any subsidiary before requiring a report or commencing an examination of such subsidiary under this section; and (2) avoid duplication of examination activities, reporting requirements, and requests for information, to the fullest extent possible.

(a) Information to assess systemic importance (1) Financial market utilities The Council is authorized to require any financial market utility to submit such information as the Council may require for the sole purpose of assessing whether that financial market utility is systemically important, but only if the Council has reasonable cause to believe that the financial market utility meets the standards for systemic importance set forth in section 5463 of this title. (2) Financial institutions engaged in payment, clearing, or settlement activities The Council is authorized to require any financial institution to submit such information as the Council may require for the sole purpose of assessing whether any payment, clearing, or settlement activity engaged in or supported by a financial institution is systemically important, but only if the Council has reasonable cause to believe that the activity meets the standards for systemic importance set forth in section 5463 of this title. (b) Reporting after designation (1) Designated financial market utilities The Board of Governors and the Council may each require a designated financial market utility to submit reports or data to the Board of Governors and the Council in such frequency and form as deemed necessary by the Board of Governors or the Council in order to assess the safety and soundness of the utility and the systemic risk that the utility’s operations pose to the financial system. (2) Financial institutions subject to standards for designated activities The Board of Governors and the Council may each require 1 or more financial institutions subject to the standards prescribed under section 5464(a) of this title for a designated activity to submit, in such frequency and form as deemed necessary by the Board of Governors or the Council, reports and data to the Board of Governors and the Council solely with respect to the conduct of the designated activity and solely to assess whether— (A) the rules, orders, or standards prescribed under section 5464(a) of this title with respect to the designated activity appropriately address the risks to the financial system presented by such activity; and (B) the financial institutions are in compliance with this subchapter and the rules and orders prescribed under section 5464(a) of this title with respect to the designated activity. (3) Limitation The Board of Governors may, upon an affirmative vote by a majority of the Council, prescribe regulations under this section that impose a recordkeeping or reporting requirement on designated clearing entities or financial institutions engaged in designated activities that are subject to standards that have been prescribed under section 5464(a)(2) of this title. (c) Coordination with appropriate Federal Supervisory Agency (1) Advance coordination Before requesting any material information from, or imposing reporting or recordkeeping requirements on, any financial market utility or any financial institution engaged in a payment, clearing, or settlement activity, the Board of Governors or the Council shall coordinate with the Supervisory Agency for a financial market utility or the appropriate financial regulator for a financial institution to determine if the information is available from or may be obtained by the agency in the form, format, or detail required by the Board of Governors or the Council. (2) Supervisory reports Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Supervisory Agency, the appropriate financial regulator, and the Board of Governors are authorized to disclose to each other and the Council copies of its examination reports or similar reports regarding any financial market utility or any financial institution engaged in payment, clearing, or settlement activities. (d) Timing of response from appropriate Federal Supervisory Agency If the information, report, records, or data requested by the Board of Governors or the Council under subsection (c)(1) are not provided in full...

(a) Information required in registration statement (1) In general The registration statement, when relating to a security other than a security issued by a foreign government, or political subdivision thereof, shall contain the information, and be accompanied by the documents, specified in Schedule A of section 77aa of this title, and when relating to a security issued by a foreign government, or political subdivision thereof, shall contain the information, and be accompanied by the documents, specified in Schedule B of section 77aa of this title; except that the Commission may by rules or regulations provide that any such information or document need not be included in respect of any class of issuers or securities if it finds that the requirement of such information or document is inapplicable to such class and that disclosure fully adequate for the protection of investors is otherwise required to be included within the registration statement. If any accountant, engineer, or appraiser, or any person whose profession gives authority to a statement made by him, is named as having prepared or certified any part of the registration statement, or is named as having prepared or certified a report or valuation for use in connection with the registration statement, the written consent of such person shall be filed with the registration statement. If any such person is named as having prepared or certified a report or valuation (other than a public official document or statement) which is used in connection with the registration statement, but is not named as having prepared or certified such report or valuation for use in connection with the registration statement, the written consent of such person shall be filed with the registration statement unless the Commission dispenses with such filing as impracticable or as involving undue hardship on the person filing the registration statement. Any such registration statement shall contain such other information, and be accompanied by such other documents, as the Commission may by rules or regulations require as being necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors. (2) Treatment of emerging growth companies An emerging growth company— (A) need not present more than 2 years of audited financial statements in order for the registration statement of such emerging growth company with respect to an initial public offering of its common equity securities to be effective, and in any other registration statement to be filed with the Commission, an emerging growth company need not present selected financial data in accordance with section 229.301 of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations, for any period prior to the earliest audited period presented in connection with its initial public offering; and (B) may not be required to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standard until such date that a company that is not an issuer (as defined under section 7201 of this title) is required to comply with such new or revised accounting standard, if such standard applies to companies that are not issuers. (b) Registration statement for blank check companies (1) The Commission shall prescribe special rules with respect to registration statements filed by any issuer that is a blank check company. Such rules may, as the Commission determines necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors— (A) require such issuers to provide timely disclosure, prior to or after such statement becomes effective under section 77h of this title, of (i) information regarding the company to be acquired and the specific application of the proceeds of the offering, or (ii) additional information necessary to prevent such statement from being misleading; (B) place limitations on the use of such proceeds and the distribution of securities by such issuer until the disclosures required under subparagraph (A) have been made; and (C) provide a right of re...

(a) Establishment; composition; limitations on commissioners; terms of office There is hereby established a Securities and Exchange Commission (hereinafter referred to as the “Commission”) to be composed of five commissioners to be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Not more than three of such commissioners shall be members of the same political party, and in making appointments members of different political parties shall be appointed alternately as nearly as may be practicable. No commissioner shall engage in any other business, vocation, or employment than that of serving as commissioner, nor shall any commissioner participate, directly or indirectly, in any stock-market operations or transactions of a character subject to regulation by the Commission pursuant to this chapter. Each commissioner shall hold office for a term of five years and until his successor is appointed and has qualified, except that he shall not so continue to serve beyond the expiration of the next session of Congress subsequent to the expiration of said fixed term of office, and except (1) any commissioner appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term, and (2) the terms of office of the commissioners first taking office after June 6, 1934, shall expire as designated by the President at the time of nomination, one at the end of one year, one at the end of two years, one at the end of three years, one at the end of four years, and one at the end of five years, after June 6, 1934. (b) Appointment and compensation of staff and leasing authority (1) Appointment and compensation The Commission shall appoint and compensate officers, attorneys, economists, examiners, and other employees in accordance with section 4802 of title 5. (2) Reporting of information In establishing and adjusting schedules of compensation and benefits for officers, attorneys, economists, examiners, and other employees of the Commission under applicable provisions of law, the Commission shall inform the heads of the agencies referred to under section 1833b of title 12 and Congress of such compensation and benefits and shall seek to maintain comparability with such agencies regarding compensation and benefits. (3) Leasing authority Nothwithstanding 1 any other provision of law, the Commission is authorized to enter directly into leases for real property for office, meeting, storage, and such other space as is necessary to carry out its functions, and shall be exempt from any General Services Administration space management regulations or directives. (c) Acceptance of travel support for Commission activities from non-Federal sources; regulations Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in accordance with regulations which the Commission shall prescribe to prevent conflicts of interest, the Commission may accept payment and reimbursement, in cash or in kind, from non-Federal agencies, organizations, and individuals for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by Commission members and employees in attending meetings and conferences concerning the functions or activities of the Commission. Any payment or reimbursement accepted shall be credited to the appropriated funds of the Commission. The amount of travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses for members and employees paid or reimbursed under this subsection may exceed per diem amounts established in official travel regulations, but the Commission may include in its regulations under this subsection a limitation on such amounts. (d) Acceptance of relocation expenses from former employers by professional fellows program participants Notwithstanding any other provision of law, former employers of participants in the Commission’s professional fellows programs may pay such participants their actual expenses for relocation to Washington, District of Colum...

(a) Reports by issuer of security; contents Every issuer of a security registered pursuant to section 78l of this title shall file with the Commission, in accordance with such rules and regulations as the Commission may prescribe as necessary or appropriate for the proper protection of investors and to insure fair dealing in the security— (1) such information and documents (and such copies thereof) as the Commission shall require to keep reasonably current the information and documents required to be included in or filed with an application or registration statement filed pursuant to section 78l of this title, except that the Commission may not require the filing of any material contract wholly executed before July 1, 1962. (2) such annual reports (and such copies thereof), certified if required by the rules and regulations of the Commission by independent public accountants, and such quarterly reports (and such copies thereof), as the Commission may prescribe. Every issuer of a security registered on a national securities exchange shall also file a duplicate original of such information, documents, and reports with the exchange. In any registration statement, periodic report, or other reports to be filed with the Commission, an emerging growth company need not present selected financial data in accordance with section 229.301 of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations, for any period prior to the earliest audited period presented in connection with its first registration statement that became effective under this chapter or the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.] and, with respect to any such statement or reports, an emerging growth company may not be required to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standard until such date that a company that is not an issuer (as defined under section 7201 of this title) is required to comply with such new or revised accounting standard, if such standard applies to companies that are not issuers. (b) Form of report; books, records, and internal accounting; directives (1) The Commission may prescribe, in regard to reports made pursuant to this chapter, the form or forms in which the required information shall be set forth, the items or details to be shown in the balance sheet and the earnings statement, and the methods to be followed in the preparation of reports, in the appraisal or valuation of assets and liabilities, in the determination of depreciation and depletion, in the differentiation of recurring and nonrecurring income, in the differentiation of investment and operating income, and in the preparation, where the Commission deems it necessary or desirable, of separate and/or consolidated balance sheets or income accounts of any person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by the issuer, or any person under direct or indirect common control with the issuer; but in the case of the reports of any person whose methods of accounting are prescribed under the provisions of any law of the United States, or any rule or regulation thereunder, the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect to reports shall not be inconsistent with the requirements imposed by such law or rule or regulation in respect of the same subject matter (except that such rules and regulations of the Commission may be inconsistent with such requirements to the extent that the Commission determines that the public interest or the protection of investors so requires). (2) Every issuer which has a class of securities registered pursuant to section 78l of this title and every issuer which is required to file reports pursuant to section 78o(d) of this title shall— (A) make and keep books, records, and accounts, which, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the issuer; (B) devise and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that— (i) transactions are executed in acco...

(a) Solicitation of proxies in violation of rules and regulations (1) It shall be unlawful for any person, by the use of the mails or by any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce or of any facility of a national securities exchange or otherwise, in contravention of such rules and regulations as the Commission may prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors, to solicit or to permit the use of his name to solicit any proxy or consent or authorization in respect of any security (other than an exempted security) registered pursuant to section 78l of this title. (2) The rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under paragraph (1) may include— (A) a requirement that a solicitation of proxy, consent, or authorization by (or on behalf of) an issuer include a nominee submitted by a shareholder to serve on the board of directors of the issuer; and (B) a requirement that an issuer follow a certain procedure in relation to a solicitation described in subparagraph (A). (b) Giving or refraining from giving proxy in respect of any security carried for account of customer (1) It shall be unlawful for any member of a national securities exchange, or any broker or dealer registered under this chapter, or any bank, association, or other entity that exercises fiduciary powers, in contravention of such rules and regulations as the Commission may prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors, to give, or to refrain from giving a proxy, consent, authorization, or information statement in respect of any security registered pursuant to section 78l of this title, or any security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.], and carried for the account of a customer. (2) With respect to banks, the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under paragraph (1) shall not require the disclosure of the names of beneficial owners of securities in an account held by the bank on December 28, 1985, unless the beneficial owner consents to the disclosure. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply in the case of a bank which the Commission finds has not made a good faith effort to obtain such consent from such beneficial owners. (c) Information to holders of record prior to annual or other meeting Unless proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered pursuant to section 78l of this title, or a security issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.], are solicited by or on behalf of the management of the issuer from the holders of record of such security in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed under subsection (a) of this section, prior to any annual or other meeting of the holders of such security, such issuer shall, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission, file with the Commission and transmit to all holders of record of such security information substantially equivalent to the information which would be required to be transmitted if a solicitation were made, but no information shall be required to be filed or transmitted pursuant to this subsection before July 1, 1964. (d) Tender offer by owner of more than five per centum of class of securities; exceptions (1) It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, by use of the mails or by any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce or of any facility of a national securities exchange or otherwise, to make a tender offer for, or a request or invitation for tenders of, any class of any equity security which is registered pursuant to section 78l of this title, or any equity security of an insurance company which would have been required to be so registered except for the exemption contained in section 78l(g)(2)(G) of this title, or any equity security issued by a a ...

(a) Registration (1) Security-based swap dealers It shall be unlawful for any person to act as a security-based swap dealer unless the person is registered as a security-based swap dealer with the Commission. (2) Major security-based swap participants It shall be unlawful for any person to act as a major security-based swap participant unless the person is registered as a major security-based swap participant with the Commission. (b) Requirements (1) In general A person shall register as a security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant by filing a registration application with the Commission. (2) Contents (A) In general The application shall be made in such form and manner as prescribed by the Commission, and shall contain such information, as the Commission considers necessary concerning the business in which the applicant is or will be engaged. (B) Continual reporting A person that is registered as a security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant shall continue to submit to the Commission reports that contain such information pertaining to the business of the person as the Commission may require. (3) Expiration Each registration under this section shall expire at such time as the Commission may prescribe by rule or regulation. (4) Rules Except as provided in subsections (d) and (e), the Commission may prescribe rules applicable to security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants, including rules that limit the activities of non-bank security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants. (5) Transition Not later than 1 year after July 21, 2010, the Commission shall issue rules under this section to provide for the registration of security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants. (6) Statutory disqualification Except to the extent otherwise specifically provided by rule, regulation, or order of the Commission, it shall be unlawful for a security-based swap dealer or a major security-based swap participant to permit any person associated with a security-based swap dealer or a major security-based swap participant who is subject to a statutory disqualification to effect or be involved in effecting security-based swaps on behalf of the security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant, if the security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant knew, or in the exercise of reasonable care should have known, of the statutory disqualification. (c) Dual registration (1) Security-based swap dealer Any person that is required to be registered as a security-based swap dealer under this section shall register with the Commission, regardless of whether the person also is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a swap dealer. (2) Major security-based swap participant Any person that is required to be registered as a major security-based swap participant under this section shall register with the Commission, regardless of whether the person also is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a major swap participant. (d) Rulemaking (1) In general The Commission shall adopt rules for persons that are registered as security-based swap dealers or major security-based swap participants under this section. (2) Exception for prudential requirements (A) In general The Commission may not prescribe rules imposing prudential requirements on security-based swap dealers or major security-based swap participants for which there is a prudential regulator. (B) Applicability Subparagraph (A) does not limit the authority of the Commission to prescribe rules as directed under this section. (e) Capital and margin requirements (1) In general (A) Security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants that are banks Each registered security-based swap dealer and major security-based swap participant for which there is not a prudential regulator shall meet such minimum capita...

(a) Registration; application An association of brokers and dealers may be registered as a national securities association pursuant to subsection (b), or as an affiliated securities association pursuant to subsection (d), under the terms and conditions hereinafter provided in this section and in accordance with the provisions of section 78s(a) of this title, by filing with the Commission an application for registration in such form as the Commission, by rule, may prescribe containing the rules of the association and such other information and documents as the Commission, by rule, may prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors. (b) Determinations by Commission requisite to registration of applicant as national securities association An association of brokers and dealers shall not be registered as a national securities association unless the Commission determines that— (1) By reason of the number and geographical distribution of its members and the scope of their transactions, such association will be able to carry out the purposes of this section. (2) Such association is so organized and has the capacity to be able to carry out the purposes of this chapter and to comply, and (subject to any rule or order of the Commission pursuant to section 78q(d) or 78s(g)(2) of this title) to enforce compliance by its members and persons associated with its members, with the provisions of this chapter, the rules and regulations thereunder, the rules of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, and the rules of the association. (3) Subject to the provisions of subsection (g) of this section, the rules of the association provide that any registered broker or dealer may become a member of such association and any person may become associated with a member thereof. (4) The rules of the association assure a fair representation of its members in the selection of its directors and administration of its affairs and provide that one or more directors shall be representative of issuers and investors and not be associated with a member of the association, broker, or dealer. (5) The rules of the association provide for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among members and issuers and other persons using any facility or system which the association operates or controls. (6) The rules of the association are designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, processing information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest; and are not designed to permit unfair discrimination between customers, issuers, brokers, or dealers, to fix minimum profits, to impose any schedule or fix rates of commissions, allowances, discounts, or other fees to be charged by its members, or to regulate by virtue of any authority conferred by this chapter matters not related to the purposes of this chapter or the administration of the association. (7) The rules of the association provide that (subject to any rule or order of the Commission pursuant to section 78q(d) or 78s(g)(2) of this title) its members and persons associated with its members shall be appropriately disciplined for violation of any provision of this chapter, the rules or regulations thereunder, the rules of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, or the rules of the association, by expulsion, suspension, limitation of activities, functions, and operations, fine, censure, being suspended or barred from being associated with a member, or any other fitting sanction. (8) The rules of the association are in accordance with the provisions of subsection (h) of this section, and, in ge...

(a) Registration of municipal securities dealers (1) (A) It shall be unlawful for any municipal securities dealer (other than one registered as a broker or dealer under section 78o of this title) to make use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce to effect any transaction in, or to induce or attempt to induce the purchase or sale of, any municipal security unless such municipal securities dealer is registered in accordance with this subsection. (B) It shall be unlawful for a municipal advisor to provide advice to or on behalf of a municipal entity or obligated person with respect to municipal financial products or the issuance of municipal securities, or to undertake a solicitation of a municipal entity or obligated person, unless the municipal advisor is registered in accordance with this subsection. (2) A municipal securities dealer or municipal advisor may be registered by filing with the Commission an application for registration in such form and containing such information and documents concerning such municipal securities dealer or municipal advisor and any persons associated with such municipal securities dealer or municipal advisor as the Commission, by rule, may prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors. Within forty-five days of the date of the filing of such application (or within such longer period as to which the applicant consents), the Commission shall— (A) by order grant registration, or (B) institute proceedings to determine whether registration should be denied. Such proceedings shall include notice of the grounds for denial under consideration and opportunity for hearing and shall be concluded within one hundred twenty days of the date of the filing of the application for registration. At the conclusion of such proceedings the Commission, by order, shall grant or deny such registration. The Commission may extend the time for the conclusion of such proceedings for up to ninety days if it finds good cause for such extension and publishes its reasons for so finding or for such longer period as to which the applicant consents. The Commission shall grant the registration of a municipal securities dealer or municipal advisor if the Commission finds that the requirements of this section are satisfied. The Commission shall deny such registration if it does not make such a finding or if it finds that if the applicant were so registered, its registration would be subject to suspension or revocation under subsection (c) of this section. (3) Any provision of this chapter (other than section 78e of this title or paragraph (1) of this subsection) which prohibits any act, practice, or course of business if the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce is used in connection therewith shall also prohibit any such act, practice, or course of business by any registered municipal securities dealer or municipal advisor or any person acting on behalf of such municipal securities dealer or municipal advisor, irrespective of any use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce in connection therewith. (4) The Commission, by rule or order, upon its own motion or upon application, may conditionally or unconditionally exempt any broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer, or municipal advisor, or class of brokers, dealers, municipal securities dealers, or municipal advisors from any provision of this section or the rules or regulations thereunder, if the Commission finds that such exemption is consistent with the public interest, the protection of investors, and the purposes of this section. (5) No municipal advisor shall make use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce to provide advice to or on behalf of a municipal entity or obligated person with respect to municipal financial products, the issuance of municipal securities, or to undertake a solicitation of a municipal entity o...

(a) Registration procedures (1) Application for registration (A) In general A credit rating agency that elects to be treated as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization for purposes of this chapter (in this section referred to as the “applicant”), shall furnish to the Commission an application for registration, in such form as the Commission shall require, by rule or regulation issued in accordance with subsection (n), and containing the information described in subparagraph (B). (B) Required information An application for registration under this section shall contain information regarding— (i) credit ratings performance measurement statistics over short-term, mid-term, and long-term periods (as applicable) of the applicant; (ii) the procedures and methodologies that the applicant uses in determining credit ratings; (iii) policies or procedures adopted and implemented by the applicant to prevent the misuse, in violation of this chapter (or the rules and regulations hereunder), of material, nonpublic information; (iv) the organizational structure of the applicant; (v) whether or not the applicant has in effect a code of ethics, and if not, the reasons therefor; (vi) any conflict of interest relating to the issuance of credit ratings by the applicant; (vii) the categories described in any of clauses (i) through (v) of section 78c(a)(62)(B) of this title with respect to which the applicant intends to apply for registration under this section; (viii) on a confidential basis, a list of the 20 largest issuers and subscribers that use the credit rating services of the applicant, by amount of net revenues received therefrom in the fiscal year immediately preceding the date of submission of the application; (ix) on a confidential basis, as to each applicable category of obligor described in any of clauses (i) through (v) of section 78c(a)(62)(B) of this title, written certifications described in subparagraph (C), except as provided in subparagraph (D); and (x) any other information and documents concerning the applicant and any person associated with such applicant as the Commission, by rule, may prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors. (C) Written certifications Written certifications required by subparagraph (B)(ix)— (i) shall be provided from not fewer than 10 qualified institutional buyers, none of which is affiliated with the applicant; (ii) may address more than one category of obligors described in any of clauses (i) through (v) of section 78c(a)(62)(B) of this title; (iii) shall include not fewer than 2 certifications for each such category of obligor; and (iv) shall state that the qualified institutional buyer— (I) meets the definition of a qualified institutional buyer under section 78c(a)(64) of this title; and (II) has used the credit ratings of the applicant for at least the 3 years immediately preceding the date of the certification in the subject category or categories of obligors. (D) Exemption from certification requirement A written certification under subparagraph (B)(ix) is not required with respect to any credit rating agency which has received, or been the subject of, a no-action letter from the staff of the Commission prior to August 2, 2006, stating that such staff would not recommend enforcement action against any broker or dealer that considers credit ratings issued by such credit rating agency to be ratings from a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. (E) Limitation on liability of qualified institutional buyers No qualified institutional buyer shall be liable in any private right of action for any opinion or statement expressed in a certification made pursuant to subparagraph (B)(ix). (2) Review of application (A) Initial determination Not later than 90 days after the date on which the application for registration is furnished to the Commission under paragraph (1) (or within such longer period as to which the applicant...

(a) In general Every investment adviser who makes use of the mails or of any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce in connection with his or its business as an investment adviser (other than one specifically exempted from registration pursuant to section 80b–3(b) of this title), shall make and keep for prescribed periods such records (as defined in section 78c(a)(37) of this title), furnish such copies thereof, and make and disseminate such reports as the Commission, by rule, may prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors. All records (as so defined) of such investment advisers are subject at any time, or from time to time, to such reasonable periodic, special, or other examinations by representatives of the Commission as the Commission deems necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors. (b) Records and reports of private funds (1) In general The Commission may require any investment adviser registered under this subchapter— (A) to maintain such records of, and file with the Commission such reports regarding, private funds advised by the investment adviser, as necessary and appropriate in the public interest and for the protection of investors, or for the assessment of systemic risk by the Financial Stability Oversight Council (in this subsection referred to as the “Council”); and (B) to provide or make available to the Council those reports or records or the information contained therein. (2) Treatment of records The records and reports of any private fund to which an investment adviser registered under this subchapter provides investment advice shall be deemed to be the records and reports of the investment adviser. (3) Required information The records and reports required to be maintained by an investment adviser and subject to inspection by the Commission under this subsection shall include, for each private fund advised by the investment adviser, a description of— (A) the amount of assets under management and use of leverage, including off-balance-sheet leverage; (B) counterparty credit risk exposure; (C) trading and investment positions; (D) valuation policies and practices of the fund; (E) types of assets held; (F) side arrangements or side letters, whereby certain investors in a fund obtain more favorable rights or entitlements than other investors; (G) trading practices; and (H) such other information as the Commission, in consultation with the Council, determines is necessary and appropriate in the public interest and for the protection of investors or for the assessment of systemic risk, which may include the establishment of different reporting requirements for different classes of fund advisers, based on the type or size of private fund being advised. (4) Maintenance of records An investment adviser registered under this subchapter shall maintain such records of private funds advised by the investment adviser for such period or periods as the Commission, by rule, may prescribe as necessary and appropriate in the public interest and for the protection of investors, or for the assessment of systemic risk. (5) Filing of records The Commission shall issue rules requiring each investment adviser to a private fund to file reports containing such information as the Commission deems necessary and appropriate in the public interest and for the protection of investors or for the assessment of systemic risk. (6) Examination of records (A) Periodic and special examinations The Commission— (i) shall conduct periodic inspections of the records of private funds maintained by an investment adviser registered under this subchapter in accordance with a schedule established by the Commission; and (ii) may conduct at any time and from time to time such additional, special, and other examinations as the Commission may prescribe as necessary and appropriate in the public interest and for the protection of investors, or for the assess...