On the recordJuly 15, 2010
Madam President, I strongly support the Dodd-Frank conference report. I commend the chairman for all of his work to address so many issues vitally important to working families. I thank my friend from Connecticut for working closely with me to ensure this legislation will educate, protect, and empower consumers and investors. An Office of Financial Education within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is created by the legislation. The office is tasked with developing and implementing initiatives to educate and empower consumers. A strategy to improve financial literacy among consumers, that includes measurable goals and benchmarks, must be developed. The administrator of the bureau will serve as vice-chairman of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission to ensure meaningful participation in Federal efforts intended to help educate, protect, and empower working families. The conference report also addresses investor literacy. A financial literacy study must be conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC. The SEC will be required to develop an investor financial literacy strategy intended to bring about positive behavioral change among investors. Essential consumer and investor protections for working families are included in the conference report. A regulatory structure that will have a greater emphasis on investor and consumer protections is established. Regulators failed to protect consumers and that contributed significantly to the financial crisis.…





