I want to commend Chair White for her announcement today of a new website that will provide increased visibility into the Commission’s rulemaking process.[1] The new website can be found here: http://www.sec.gov/rules/rulemaking-index.shtml. When I approached the Chair with this concept, she immediately recognized its importance and moved to implement it. This website will provide the public with enhanced transparency and regulatory certainty about the progress of proposed rules. Furthermore, this website will help the Commission to better monitor and assess the progress of its pending rule proposals. In recent years, it has become even more important that the Commission be able to accurately monitor its rulemaking process because shifting priorities, a massive workload, and periodic turnover of Commission personnel can slow the progress of rulemaking. This project also underpins recent statements I have made on increased transparency in Commission Orders and the Commission’s waiver process.[2] Ultimately, by pulling back the shades on the Commission’s rulemaking process, the Commission strengthens its protocols and enhances its credibility with the investing public.

The Chair’s leadership in making the website a reality will benefit both the Commission and the public for years to come.