Midterm election results could have some impact on Gensler’s agenda (Law360)

What does seem certain is the upcoming midterm election results will continue polarizing each political party’s view of securities regulation. Less certain is the effect Republican control of the House or Senate (or both) would have on SEC Chairman Gary Gensler’s aggressive regulatory agenda. Even with a strong showing by Republicans, the SEC will maintain its Democrat majority of SEC commissioners that can continue to propagate continuous rulemaking. However, a Republican led House or Senate may employ certain measures to derail new regulations, such as attaching proposals as riders to larger funding bills, and attempting to stall Gensler’s momentum by repeatedly calling him to Capitol Hill for hearings or denying his budget requests. One area of regulation that may have bipartisan agreement is legislation to regulate digital assets. Amy Lynch, FrontLine’s Founder and President, explains that despite the Congressional support for more crypto oversight, it could be difficult for the SEC to obtain the authority and funding Gensler is seeking if Republicans are in control. See Law360 (subscription required), “Midterms Could Sway Capital Markets Agenda in Congress“