The SEC has announced that its Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. (EDT) and will be open to the public. The agenda for the meeting includes consideration of recommendations and other matters relating to rules and regulations affecting small and emerging companies under the federal securities laws. The meeting will be webcast on the Commission's website at www.sec.gov. Click here to learn more (links externally to SEC website).

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the American Petroleum Institute ("API") cannot challenge in federal appellate court an SEC rule requiring disclosure of certain payments made to foreign governments, but must first do so in federal district court. At issue is the SEC's "extraction rule," promulgated in September 2012, which requires resource extraction issuers to disclose information relating to payments made to a foreign government or the United States government that are to further the commercial development of oil, natural gas, or minerals. See Disclosure of Payments by Resource

SIFMA released the following statement after Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and David Vitter (R-LA) introduced "too-big-to-fail" legislation. "We continue to believe that no institution should be too-big-to-fail and that taxpayers should never again be put at risk in a future financial crisis. Since 2008, Tier 1 capital has more than doubled - increasing about $400 billion, or from 5.6 percent to 11.3 percent at the end of 2012 - reaching a historic high according to the FDIC. This legislation would force financial institutions to raise capital excessively higher than current levels, which

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus announced his approval of the Senate's confirmation of Christopher Meade to be general counsel of the Department of the Treasury, stating: "Christopher Meade's impressive legal background will be a true asset to the Treasury Department and Secretary Lew." The Finance Committee approved the nomination in February. Click hereto learn more (links externally to Senate Finance Committee website).

The SEC published the attached annual report on the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion ("OMWI"), pursuant to Dodd-Frank Section 342. The OMWI is required to develop standards for the following: for the equal employment opportunity and the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the workforce and senior management of the SEC; for the increased participation of minority-owned and women-owned businesses in the SEC’s programs and contracts; and, to assess the diversity policies and practices of entities regulated by the SEC. The report highlights major OMWI's FY 2012 actions and successes, and