PH FedACTion: Financial Regulatory Updates
Daily Financial Regulation Update -- Tuesday, March 15, 2022
March 15, 2022
FedACTion Task Force
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Major Developments
Paul Hastings Announces New Tracker for Executive Order on Digital Assets
March 14, 2022
Paul Hastings LLP has created a tracker to assist clients and friends of the firm follow developments with respect to the various requirements of President Biden's Executive Order on Digital Assets, issued on March 11, 2022, as well as the agency deliverables for each section and pending delivery, their due dates. The tracker will be updated to include material changes and other regulatory developments pertaining to digital assets.
Federal Agencies
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Consumer Spending Growth Expectations Spike, while Inflation Expectations Edge Back Up
March 14, 2022
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Center for Microeconomic Data has released the February 2022 Survey of Consumer Expectations, which shows an increase in short-and medium-term inflation expectations, reversing some of last month's sharp declines. Median home price expectations, on the other hand, declined.
Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Trading and Markets Staff Statement on Market and Counterparty Risks
March 14, 2022
The Division of Trading and Markets Staff issued a statement urging broker-dealers and other market participants to remain vigilant to market and counterparty risks that may surface during periods of heightened volatility and global uncertainties.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Safely sending money to loved ones in conflict areas
March 14, 2022
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a blog post outlining resources to aid consumers in sending money overseas amid the crisis in Ukraine.
International
UK Financial Conduct Authority
Update on the market share test under the ancillary activities exemption for commodity derivatives
March 14, 2022
The Financial Conduct Authority issues a statement on the MiFID II Article 2(1)(j) ancillary activities exemption which enables firms trading in commodity derivatives, emission allowances and emission allowance derivatives to be exempt from authorization as a MiFID investment firm if they fulfil certain criteria. As part of verifying that they fulfil these criteria, firms are currently required to perform the 'market share test' and the 'main business test' as set out in UK MiFID RTS 20.
Administration Changes
Vacancies
Federal Reserve Board
- Vice Chair for Supervision – Sarah Bloom Raskin nominated January 14, 2022 (nomination hearing held on February 3, 2022)
- Governor – Lisa Cook nominated January 14, 2022
(nomination hearing held on February 3, 2022) - Governor – Phillip Jefferson, nominated January 14, 2022
(nomination hearing held on February 3, 2022)
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Chair – Vacant (Martin Gruenberg serves as Acting Chair)
- Vice Chairman
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
- Comptroller – Vacant (Michael Hsu serves as Acting Comptroller)
Commodity Futures Commission
- Three (3) Commissioner Vacancies
Appointments/Confirmation Hearings
U.S. Department of the Treasury - Janet Yellen (effective January 26, 2021)
Federal Reserve Board
- Statement by Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell on his nomination by President Biden (November 22, 2021)
- Statement by Governor Lael Brainard on her nomination by President Biden (November 22, 2021)
- Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen Statement on Federal Reserve Nominations (November 22, 2021)
- Statement by Secretary Walsh on Federal Reserve Nominations (November 22, 2021)
- Brown Statement on the Renomination of Jerome Powell for Fed Chair (November 22, 2021)
- Toomey Statement on Renomination of Jerome Powell for Fed Chair (November 22, 2021)
- Brown Applauds Biden's Nomination of Governor Lael Brainard for Vice Chair (November 22, 2021)
- Brown Applauds Biden's Nominees for Fed Board (January 14, 2022)
- Toomey Statement on President Biden's Fed Nominees (January 14, 2022)
- Waters Applauds Nominations of Sarah Bloom Raskin, Lisa Cook, and Philip Jefferson to Leadership Roles in the Federal Reserve (January 14, 2022)
- Statement by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen on Federal Reserve Nominations (January 14, 2022)
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - Rohit Chopra (effective October 12, 2021)
- Statement by House Committee on Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters on Rohit Chopra's Confirmation (September 30, 2021)
- CSBS Statement on Rohit Chopra Confirmation as CFPB Director (September 30, 2021)
Securities and Exchange Commission - Gary Gensler (effective April 17, 2021)
- LizAnn Eisen Joins Division of Corporation Finance as Deputy Director, Disclosure Program (January 27, 2022)
- Lori H. Price Named Acting Director of the Office of Credit Ratings; Ahmed Abonamah to Leave SEC (February 1, 2022)
- Kelly L. Gibson, Director of the Philadelphia Regional Office, to Leave the SEC; Scott Thompson and Joy Thompson named Office Acting Co-Heads (February 11, 2022)
Small Business Administration - Isabella Casillas Guzman (effective March 16, 2021)
- Statement by Administrator Guzman Applauding President Biden's Appointees to Lead SBA Regional Offices (November 18, 2021)
- Statement by Administrator Guzman Applauding President Biden's New Appointees to the U.S. Small Business Administration (December 6, 2021)
- Statement by Administrator Guzman Applauding President Biden's New Appointees to the U.S. Small Business Administration (January 25, 2022)
Commodity Futures Trade Commission – Rostin Behnam (effective December 17, 2021)
- Kristin Johnson, Nominee for Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (September 13, 2021)
- Christy Goldsmith Romero, Nominee for Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (September 13, 2021)
- U.S. Senate Unanimously Confirms Behnam as Chairman (December 17, 2021)
- CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam Announces Executive Staff Appointments (January 20, 2022)
- CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam Appoints Initial CFTC Leadership (January 25, 2022)
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
National Credit Union Administration - Todd M. Harper
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Marcia Fudge (effective March 10, 2021)
- Adrianne Todman Sworn in as Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (June 15, 2021)
- Statement from Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on the Confirmation of Alanna McCargo (December 15, 2021)
- Statement from Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on the Confirmation of Alanna McCargo (February 15, 2022)
Federal Housing Finance Agency – Sandra L. Thompson
- Brown Statement on the Selection of Sandra Thompson to Lead FHFA (December 14, 2021)
- Waters Applauds Biden's Nomination of Sandra L. Thompson as Permanent Director of the FHFA (December 14, 2021)
- Statement from HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on the Nomination of Sandra Thompson (December 14, 2021)
U.S. Department of Education - Dr. Miguel Cardona (effective March 2, 2021)
- Secretary Cardona Statement on Confirmation of Education Department Officials Brown, Rodriguez and Graham (October 6, 2021)
- Statement from Secretary Miguel Cardona on the Confirmation of Catherine Lhamon as Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights (October 20, 2021)
- Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on the Confirmation of Sandra Bruce as the Department's Inspector General (December 3, 2021)
- Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on President Biden's Nomination of LaWanda Toney (December 16, 2021)
PH Client Alerts
Click here to read more from our Coronavirus series.
Legislation/Legislative Updates
Click here to view the full text of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act"), Enacted March 27, 2020.
Click here to view the full text of the Paycheck Protection Program Increase Act of 2020, Enacted April 24, 2020.
Click here to view the full text of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, Enacted June 5, 2020.
Click here to view the full text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Enacted December 27, 2020.
Click here to view the full text of the American Rescue Plan of 2021, Enacted March 11, 2021.
Click here to view the full text of the PPP Extension Act of 2021, Enacted March 30, 2021.
Click here to view a running list of proposed legislation from the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, House Committee on Financial Services, and House Committee on Small Business.