Legislation/Regulation
Democrats Target Retirement Savings in Tax-and-Spend Package
The Democrats’ socialist tax-and-spend package is over 2,000 pages and contains billions of dollars in tax increases that will harm working families in the form of higher prices, lower wages, and fewer jobs. The Democrats’ package is also taking aim at the financial security of Americans with changes to individual…
House Tax Provision is Bad News for Crypto
Capitol Hill continues to impose tax increases on cryptocurrencies. This time, Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) of the House Ways and Means Committee released text for the tax portion of the budget reconciliation bill, which includes a section that restricts crypto investors from being able to deduct losses on certain transactions.
Wyden’s Derivatives Tax Harms Retail Investors
Last month, Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced legislation that would severely increase the tax burden on the multi-trillion-dollar derivatives market. There is a chance that the looming $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill could include this tax hike on derivatives contracts, which would harm everyday investors trading on platforms…
SEC Adopts Rules to Prohibit the use of Leveraged/Inverse Funds
On October 28, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission approved a rule that will dramatically change the use of derivative instruments and certain related transactions by mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, and business development companies. SAF is opposed to the Commission’s adoption of Rule 18f-4, which represents an…
SEC Adopts Rules Change to Resource Extraction Disclosure
On December 16, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted new rules regarding resource extraction payments made by public companies per Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Act. This is the third rule attempt governing resource extraction payments adopted by the Commission, as the two previous attempts were reversed by District…
SEC Adopts Rules to Increase Access to Capital Markets
On November 2, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted new rules under the title “Facilitating Capital Formation and Expanding Investment Opportunities by Improving Access to Capital in Private Markets.” SAF supports the Commission’s new rules to reduce and simplify the regulatory and compliance burdens that were placed on…
Financial Regulators Adopt Changes to Sections of the Volcker Rule
On June 25, 2020, the Federal Reserve Board approved an amendment to streamline the definition of the “covered funds” provision in the Volcker Rule, a regulation promulgated from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that limited financial institutions’ ability to conduct proprietary trading activities.
SAF Signs Coalition Letter Urging President to Waive Dodd-Frank Provision for National Security
The Shareholder Advocacy Forum joined a group of other free-market groups and signed a coalition letter to encourage President Trump to use his authority before his first term expires and temporarily suspend the “conflict minerals” provision under Dodd-Frank for two years in the interest of national security. Waving the…
SEC Adopts Rules Change to Proxy Advisor Process
On September 23, the Securities and Exchange Commission approved an amendment to modify the proxy voting process for public corporations. SAF supports the Commission’s update to Rule 14a-8, which strengthens requirements shareholders must meet to submit proposals to the board of directors: Shareholders must own $25,000 worth of shares…
SAF & ATR Supports Second Term for SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce
Shareholder Advocacy Forum Executive Director James Setterlund and Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist sent a letter to the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) expressing support for the re-appointment of Securities and Exchange Commissioner Hester Peirce to…