On the recordMarch 22, 2012
in a few hours, after votes on two amendments that I hope we will pass, we are going to vote on final passage of the House of Representatives-passed bill, the so-called JOBS bill. I am going to vote against passage of this bill because it would remain far too deeply flawed even if the two amendments were passed to justify passage by the Senate. I am going to vote no on this bill because it will significantly weaken existing protections for investors against fraud and abuse. The supporters of this bill claim it will help to create jobs. They have even titled it the JOBS Act, but there is no evidence it will help create new jobs. There is not one study that its proponents have shown us how repealing provisions that protects us from conflicts of interest in the research coverage of companies with up to $1 billion in revenue will create jobs; nor is there evidence that removing transparency and disclosure requirements for very large companies will create jobs; nor is there evidence that allowing unregulated stock sales to those unable to assess or withstand high-risk investments will create jobs; nor is there much else in this bill that will, even arguably, help create jobs. It will, however, take the cop off the beat relative to the activities of some huge banks, and it will threaten damage to the honesty and integrity of our financial markets. That is a mistake in its own right. We should value honesty and integrity in markets, as in all things.…





