On October 5, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler testified at a House Financial Services Committee (HFSC) hearing entitled, "Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: Wall Street's Cop Is Finally Back on the Beat."

On September 14, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler testified before the Senate Banking Committee at a hearing titled “Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.” In his testimony, Chair Gensler highlighted SEC priorities including the regulation of cryptocurrency and how the agency is examining disclosures around climate risk, human capital, and cybersecurity. The issue of requiring various standardized and mandatory disclosures for publicly traded companies was prevalent throughout the hearing.

On August 6, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved a new disclosure listing rule proposed by stock exchange operator Nasdaq Inc. which sets a new standard for corporate governance by requiring its listed companies to publicly disclose the diversity of their corporate boards.

Results of a quarterly survey of loan officers published this week by the Federal Reserve Board found that during the second quarter banks loosened their underwriting standards, particularly for both QM and non-QM jumbo mortgages.

During a UNPRI webinar on July 28, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler announced the agency will aim to propose rules by the end of the year that will require corporations to publicly disclose the risks they face from climate change. The upcoming proposal will likely call for businesses to provide “qualitative” and “quantitative” information to investors as a mechanism for more market transparency.

Student loan servicers are expected to face increased supervision and accountability from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Many market observers believe Rohit Chopra will likely tighten standards on servicers once confirmed by the Senate to lead the CFPB.

In a speech on March 23, Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Lael Brainard announced the formation of the Financial Stability Climate Committee. The move reaffirms the government's commitment to assessing the risks that climate change poses to the financial system, which was echoed by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell during a Congressional hearing this week.

On Thursday, March 17, at a hearing titled “By the Numbers: How Diversity Data Can Measure Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Chair of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion, and Full Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters requested diversity data and policies from America’s largest investment firms, data they believe “is indeed material to investors, and information that Congress and the public should have access to.”

On March 15, Acting Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Allison Herren Lee, gave a speech at the Center for American Progress, in which she set forth a regulatory agenda that centers on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) topics.

Yesterday, March 11, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) held an Investor Advisory Committee (IAC) meeting during which a draft recommendation was released regarding nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) and the annual reports released by the SEC’s Office of Credit Ratings (OCR).