In a letter to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX), CFTC Chairman Timothy Massad criticized the "Commodity End-User Relief Act" (H.R. 2289). The bill would reauthorize the CFTC for five years. Chairman Massad stated that many of the provisions outlining the CFTC's regulatory powers are unneeded or unduly restrictive, and "would make it harder to fulfill our mission." The Bill is similar to legislation passed by the House during the last Congress. It would codify and clarify Congressional intent where certain customer protections are concerned, reform the CFTC's operations

The CFTC requested comments on the obligation to maintain records related to clearing documentation between a customer and the customer's clearing member. The CFTC's request for public comment was published in the Federal Register. Comments must be submitted by July 14, 2015. Se e: 80 FR 27930; CFTC Comment Form.

FINRA fined a broker-dealer for short interest reporting and short sale rule violations, and for failing to implement a supervisory system reasonably designed to detect and prevent such violations. S ee: FINRA Morgan Stanley Co. Action; FINRA News Release.

The CFTC issued an exemptive letter to a CPO regarding CFTC Rule 4.22, which requires that a firm file a certified Annual Report to the NFA within 90 days of the Pool's fiscal year. The CFTC stated that the principal purpose of the reporting required by CFTC Rule 4.22 is to ensure that pool participants receive accurate, fair and timely information on the overall trading performance and financial condition of the pool. The CFTC reasoned that since the CPO is the controlling principal and managing member of the CPO and also the sole participant in the Pool, the CPO is not required to issue a

The SEC announced that deputy chief accountant Dan Murdock will leave the SEC at the end of May to return to the private sector. Wesley R. Bricker will succeed Mr. Murdock in that position. Mr. Bricker joins the SEC from PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, where he was responsible for clients in the banking, capital markets, financial technology and investment management sectors. See: SEC Press Release Announcing Mr. Murdock's Departure; SEC Press Release Announcing Mr. Bricker's Appointment.