§ 78w. Rules, Regulations, and Orders; Annual Reports

(a) Power to make rules and regulations; considerations; public disclosure

     (1) The Commission, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the other agencies enumerated in section 78c(a)(34) of this title shall each have power to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to implement the provisions of this chapter for which they are responsible or for the execution of the functions vested in them by this chapter, and may for such purposes classify persons, securities, transactions, statements, applications, reports, and other matters within their respective jurisdictions, and prescribe greater, lesser, or different requirements for different classes thereof. No provision of this chapter imposing any liability shall apply to any act done or omitted in good faith in conformity with a rule, regulation, or order of the Commission, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, other agency enumerated in section 78c(a)(34) of this title, or any self-regulatory organization, notwithstanding that such rule, regulation, or order may thereafter be amended or rescinded or determined by judicial or other authority to be invalid for any reason.

     (2) The Commission and the Secretary of the Treasury, in making rules and regulations pursuant to any provisions of this chapter, shall consider among other matters the impact any such rule or regulation would have on competition. The Commission and the Secretary of the Treasury shall not adopt any such rule or regulation which would impose a burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter. The Commission and the Secretary of the Treasury shall include in the statement of basis and purpose incorporated in any rule or regulation adopted under this chapter, the reasons for the Commission’s or the Secretary’s determination that any burden on competition imposed by such rule or regulation is necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.

     (3) The Commission and the Secretary, in making rules and regulations pursuant to any provision of this chapter, considering any application for registration in accordance with section 78s(a) of this title, or reviewing any proposed rule change of a self-regulatory organization in accordance with section 78s(b) of this title, shall keep in a public file and make available for copying all written statements filed with the Commission and the Secretary and all written communications between the Commission or the Secretary and any person relating to the proposed rule, regulation, application, or proposed rule change: Provided, however, That the Commission and the Secretary shall not be required to keep in a public file or make available for copying any such statement or communication which it may withhold from the public in accordance with the provisions of section 552 of title 5.

(b) Omitted

(c) Procedure for adjudication

     The Commission, by rule, shall prescribe the procedure applicable to every case pursuant to this chapter of adjudication (as defined in section 551 of title 5) not required to be determined on the record after notice and opportunity for hearing. Such rules shall, as a minimum, provide that prompt notice shall be given of any adverse action or final disposition and that such notice and the entry of any order shall be accompanied by a statement of written reasons.

(d) Cease-and-desist procedures

     Within 1 year after October 15, 1990, the Commission shall establish regulations providing for the expeditious conduct of hearings and rendering of decisions under section 78u–3 of this title, section 77h–1 of this title, section 80a–9(f) of this title, and section 80b–3(k) of this title.

(June 6, 1934, ch. 404, title I, § 23, 48 Stat. 901; Aug. 23, 1935, ch. 614, § 203(a), 49 Stat. 704; May 27, 1936, ch. 462, § 8, 49 Stat. 1379; Pub. L. 88–467, § 10, Aug. 20, 1964, 78 Stat. 580; Pub. L. 94–29, § 18, June 4, 1975, 89 Stat. 155; Pub. L. 99–571, title I, § 102(j), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3220; Pub. L. 100–181, title III, §§ 324, 325, Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1259; Pub. L. 101–429, title II, § 204, Oct. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 940; Pub. L. 103–202, title I, § 107, Dec. 17, 1993, 107 Stat. 2351.)

References in Text

     This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c), was in the original "this title". See References in Text note set out under section 78a of this title.

Codification

     Subsection (b), which required the Commission, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and other agencies enumerated in section 78c(a)(34) of this title, to each make an annual report to Congress on its work for the preceding year, and to include certain specified information in the reports, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, pages 143, 167, 172, and 190 of House Document No. 103–7.

Amendments

     1993—Subsec. (b)(4)(C) to (K). Pub. L. 103–202, § 107, redesignated subpars. (E) to (G) and (I) to (K) as (C) to (E) and (F) to (H), respectively, added a new subpar. (I), and struck out former subpars. (C), (D), and (H). Prior to amendment, subpars. (C), (D), and (H) read as follows:

     "(C) beginning in 1975 and ending in 1980, information, data, and recommendations with respect to the development of a national system for the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions, including a summary of the regulatory activities, operational capabilities, financial resources, and plans of self-regulatory organizations and registered transfer agents with respect thereto;

     "(D) beginning in 1975 and ending in 1980, a description of the steps taken, and an evaluation of the progress made, toward the establishment of a national market system, and recommendations for further legislation it considers advisable with respect to such system;

     "(H) beginning in 1975 and ending in 1980, a description of the effect the absence of any schedule or fixed rates of commissions, allowances, discounts, or other fees to be charged by members for effecting transactions on a national securities exchange is having on the maintenance of fair and orderly markets and the development of a national market system for securities;".

     1990—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–429 added subsec. (d).

     1987—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 100–181, § 324(1), inserted "or" before "any self-regulatory organization" in last sentence.

     Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 100–181, § 324(2), inserted "shall" after "section 78s(b) of this title,".

     Subsec. (b)(4)(F). Pub. L. 100–181, § 325, substituted "the" for "The".

     1986—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 99–571, § 102(j)(1), (2), inserted "and the Secretary of the Treasury" in three places and "or the Secretary’s" in one place.

     Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 99–571, § 102(j)(3), (4), inserted "and the Secretary" in three places and "or the Secretary" in one place.

     1975—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–29 designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted references to other agencies enumerated in section 78c(a)(34) of this title, regulations appropriate to implement the provisions of this chapter for which the agencies are responsible, the classification of persons, transactions, statements, applications, and reports, the prescribing of greater, lesser, or different requirements for different classifications, and the non-liability of self-regulatory organization, and added pars. (2) and (3).

     Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–29 designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted "The Commission, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the other agencies enumerated in section 78c(a)(34) of this title, shall each make an annual report to the Congress on its work for the preceding year, and shall include in each such report whatever information, data, and recommendations for further legislation it considers advisable with regard to matters within its respective jurisdiction under this chapter" for "The Commission and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, respectively, shall include in their annual reports to Congress such information, data, and recommendation for further legislation as they may deem advisable with regard to matters within their respective jurisdictions under this chapter. The Commission shall include in its annual reports to the Congress for the fiscal years ended on June 30 of 1965, 1966, and 1967 information, data, and recommendations specifically related to the operation of the amendments to this chapter made by the Securities Acts Amendments of 1964", and added pars. (2) to (4).

     Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–29 added subsec. (c).

     1964—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 88–467 required the Commission in its annual reports to Congress for fiscal years ending June 30, 1965, 1966, and 1967, to furnish information, data, and recommendations specifically related to the operations of the amendments to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 made by the Securities Act Amendments of 1964.

     1936—Subsec. (a). Act May 27, 1936, inserted second sentence.

Change of Name

     Section 203(a) of act Aug. 23, 1935, substituted "Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System" for "Federal Reserve Board".

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

     Amendment by Pub. L. 101–429 effective Oct. 15, 1990, with provisions relating to civil penalties and accounting and disgorgement, see section 1(c)(1), (2) of Pub. L. 101–429, set out in a note under section 77g of this title.

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

     Amendment by Pub. L. 99–571 effective 270 days after Oct. 28, 1986, see section 401 of Pub. L. 99–571, set out as an Effective Date note under section 78o–5 of this title.

Effective Date of 1975 Amendment

     Amendment by Pub. L. 94–29 effective June 4, 1975, see section 31(a) of Pub. L. 94–29, set out as a note under section 78b of this title.

Effective Date of 1964 Amendment

     Amendment by Pub. L. 88–467 effective Aug. 20, 1964, see section 13 of Pub. L. 88–467, set out as a note under section 78c of this title.

Construction of 1993 Amendment

     Amendment by Pub. L. 103–202 not to be construed to govern initial issuance of any public debt obligation or to grant any authority to (or extend any authority of) the Securities and Exchange Commission, any appropriate regulatory agency, or a self-regulatory organization to prescribe any procedure, term, or condition of such initial issuance, to promulgate any rule or regulation governing such initial issuance, or to otherwise regulate in any manner such initial issuance, see section 111 of Pub. L. 103–202, set out as a note under section 78o–5 of this title.

Transfer of Functions

     For transfer of functions of Securities and Exchange Commission, with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg. Plan No. 10 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3175, 64 Stat. 1265, set out under section 78d of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

     This section is referred to in sections 78c, 78q–2 of this title.