NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NASAA Statement on Treasury Department's Financial Services Regulatory Restructuring Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. March 31, 2008âThe following is a statement by Karen Tyler, President of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and North Dakota Securities Commissioner, regarding the Treasury Departmentâs Blueprint for Regulatory Reform. NASAA is the oldest international organization devoted to investor protection. NASAAâs membership consists of the securities administrators in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
âThe Treasury Departmentâs blueprint is designed to boost Wall Streetâs competitiveness, not Main Street investor protection.
âLetâs not lose sight of the blueprintâs heritage. It was born in the wake of a trilogy of capital market competitiveness reports that, published alongside record earnings and bonuses on Wall Street, essentially fell flat.
âIn our response to Treasuryâs request for comments on regulatory restructuring last year, NASAAâs position was, and continues to be, unambiguous: the existing regulatory system, as it pertains to the securities markets, needs no fundamental restructuring. The focus of state securities regulators is clear and singular: investor protection must remain the centerpiece of the securities regulatory system.
âA macro-level solution to the current self-inflicted capital market duress, must not result in a compromise of investor protection on Main Street. While clearly there are areas of the overall structure that should be altered or enhanced, our nationâs investors do not need a new regulatory structure to provide the protection they deserve. What they need is a willingness on the part of all regulators to carry out their investor protection mandate.
âNASAA supports a strong and effective financial services regulatory structure. Such a structure requires preserving the authority of state securities regulators who protect more than 100 million retail investors.â
For More Information:
Bob Webster, Director of Communications
202-737-0900
http://www.nasaa.org/NASAA_Newsroom/Current_NASAA_Headlines/8420.cfm