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Financial Regulatory Agencies

Chapter 27 · pp. 829–844 · David R. Burton, Robert Bowes

What this chapter is about

This chapter is in two parts by two people. The first is about the agency that watches the stock market. It wants that agency reshaped and two other bodies folded into it. The second says the consumer finance agency should be closed.

7 proposals indexed from this chapter.

The document says “shouldWho acts: CongressHow: legislationIn: Securities and Exchange Commission and Related Agencies · David R. Burtonp. 830 in the PDF
What the document says

“PCAOB and FINRA should be abolished, and their regulatory functions should be merged into the SEC.”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 830

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board oversees auditors and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority regulates brokers. The part also asks Congress to establish an independent board to report within 18 months on how far the functions of other self-regulatory organizations, which it says are no longer self-regulatory in any meaningful sense, should move to the Commission.

What the document actually says

“PCAOB and FINRA should be abolished, and their regulatory functions should be merged into the SEC.”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 830
That sentence, in plain words

Close these two bodies. Move their work into the market watchdog.

What this is about

Two private bodies help police finance. One checks auditors, one checks brokers. The book says the main agency should do both jobs.

No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken. See what the tracker does not yet cover.

The document says “shouldWho acts: Congress, PresidentHow: legislationIn: Securities and Exchange Commission and Related Agencies · David R. Burtonp. 830 in the PDF
What the document says

“Offices at financial regulators that promote racist policies (usually in the name of “diversity, equity, and inclusion”) should be abolished”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 830

The part says discrimination based on immutable characteristics has no place in financial regulation, asks that regulations requiring appointments on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex or sexual orientation be eliminated, and says equal protection, equal opportunity and individual merit should govern regulatory decisions.

What the document actually says

“Offices at financial regulators that promote racist policies (usually in the name of “diversity, equity, and inclusion”) should be abolished”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 830
That sentence, in plain words

Close these offices at the finance watchdogs.

What this is about

Money watchdogs have offices that work on fairness in hiring. The book says those rules are unfair. It wants the offices shut.

No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken. See what the tracker does not yet cover.

The document says “shouldWho acts: CongressHow: legislationIn: Securities and Exchange Commission and Related Agencies · David R. Burtonp. 833 in the PDF
What the document says

“Statutorily limit the time for an investigation to two years with no extensions.”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 833

The part says long investigations harm private parties and the quality of justice, and that with adequate management the Commission should not need more than two years even for complicated matters.

What the document actually says

“Statutorily limit the time for an investigation to two years with no extensions.”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 833
That sentence, in plain words

Put a two-year cap in law. No extra time allowed.

What this is about

The market watchdog can investigate a firm for years. The book says that is unfair to the firm. It wants a two-year limit.

No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken. See what the tracker does not yet cover.

The document says “shouldWho acts: Congress, SECHow: legislationIn: Securities and Exchange Commission and Related Agencies · David R. Burtonp. 833 in the PDF
What the document says

“Eliminate all administrative proceedings (APs) within the SEC except for stop orders related to defective registration statements.”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 833

In an administrative proceeding the Commission adjudicates a case before its own administrative law judge rather than in a federal court. The part says the enforcement system does not need both routes, and offers as an alternative that respondents be allowed to elect whether adjudication occurs in the Commission's court or an ordinary court.

What the document actually says

“Eliminate all administrative proceedings (APs) within the SEC except for stop orders related to defective registration statements.”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 833
That sentence, in plain words

The agency hears cases in its own court. That should end.

What this is about

The market watchdog can try a case in its own court. It picks the judge. The book says cases should go to a normal court.

No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken. See what the tracker does not yet cover.

The document says “shouldWho acts: Congress, SECHow: legislationIn: Securities and Exchange Commission and Related Agencies · David R. Burtonp. 836 in the PDF
What the document says

“Require that all SRO fines, including those imposed by FINRA, should go either to a newly established investor reimbursement fund or to the”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 836

The full sentence ends with the Treasury, and the part adds that self-regulatory organizations should not have a financial interest in imposing fines. It separately asks that arbitration and disciplinary hearings be open to the public and reported, and that arbitrators make findings of fact subject to review.

What the document actually says

“Require that all SRO fines, including those imposed by FINRA, should go either to a newly established investor reimbursement fund or to the”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 836
That sentence, in plain words

These fines should go to a fund for investors. Or they should go to the Treasury.

What this is about

A body that polices brokers keeps the fines it charges. The book says that gives it a reason to fine. The money should go elsewhere.

No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken. See what the tracker does not yet cover.

The document says “shouldWho acts: SEC, CFTC, CongressHow: regulationIn: Securities and Exchange Commission and Related Agencies · David R. Burtonp. 835 in the PDF
What the document says

“Otherwise, the digital asset shall be deemed a commodity to be regulated by the CFTC, not the SEC.”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 835

The part proposes a joint regulation under which a digital asset holder is not treated as party to an investment contract unless entitled to a share of earnings, a defined flow of payments, or rights against assets on liquidation. It says both agencies have been irresponsible in this area, choosing regulation by enforcement and doing it poorly, and that Congress should legislate if they do not act.

What the document actually says

“Otherwise, the digital asset shall be deemed a commodity to be regulated by the CFTC, not the SEC.”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 835
That sentence, in plain words

If not, the token counts as a good. A different agency would watch it.

What this is about

Crypto tokens are regulated, but it is unclear by whom. The book sets a test. Most tokens would fall to the commodities agency.

No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken. See what the tracker does not yet cover.

The document says “shouldWho acts: Congress, PresidentHow: legislationIn: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · Robert Bowesp. 839 in the PDF
What the document says

“Congress should abolish the CFPB and reverse”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 839

The full sentence asks Congress to abolish the bureau and reverse section 1061 of Dodd-Frank, returning the consumer protection function to banking regulators and the Federal Trade Commission. The part calls the bureau highly politicized, damaging, utterly unaccountable and unconstitutional, and says that provided the Supreme Court affirms a Fifth Circuit holding then pending, the next President should order the immediate dissolution of the agency, pull down its rules and guidance and return its staff to their prior agencies.

What the document actually says

“Congress should abolish the CFPB and reverse”

Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, p. 839
That sentence, in plain words

Congress should close this agency down.

What this is about

One agency polices banks and lenders for unfair treatment of customers. The book says it answers to no one. It says Congress should close it.

No action is recorded against this proposal. That is not evidence that none has been taken. See what the tracker does not yet cover.

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What is indexed here, and what is not

Proposals from both parts. Each records which part it comes from and who wrote it.

The detailed securities disclosure reforms, the treatment of the commodities regulator, and the technical digital asset definitions.

The two parts cover different agencies and were written by different authors. They should not be read as one argument.