US Senate
Sparks fly on regulation during Isda's annual general meeting
Heated debate over financial regulatory reform going through the US Congress was at the forefront of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association’s annual general meeting in San Francisco last month.
Senate bill raises the stakes in financial reform debate
The future of the derivatives market in the US has become the subject of a political tug-of-war, after the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry passed a bill prohibiting federal support to all dealers, derivatives exchanges, clearers…
First US offshore wind farm approved
The first US offshore wind farm has been approved by the US government in an area of the Outer Continental Shelf, with the potential to eventually provide 1 million megawatts of offshore energy.
US financial reform to be debated after Republicans cave in
After three attempts to block debate on financial reform, Senate Republicans gave in last night and agreed to let the bill through.
Isda AGM: Reform bill misgivings aired
A speaker from BAML calls for delays to US financial reform proposals.
Committee hears of rating agency inertia as crisis built
Agencies were too slow to update ratings models during the crisis, Senators were told today.
Rating agencies under fire again in Congress
Research due to be presented today to a Senate subcommittee shows major rating agencies gave optimistic credit ratings to keep profits high.
Reform bill passes Ag Committee before full Senate debate
The US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry has approved the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act, containing some of the strongest derivatives reforms proposed since the financial crisis.
US energy secretary says clear clean energy signal needed
US energy secretary Steven Chu joined industry figures in underlining the need for a clear legislative signal to encourage investment in clean energy and emissions reductions technology at a Washington, DC conference this week.
US carbon experts see significant impetus for federal cap-and-trade
Experts remain optimistic about federal cap-and-trade legislation in the US, but believe regional schemes can step into the breach if a bill is not passed by the US Congress.
CFTC and Ferc continue turf war over transmission rights
Wholesale electricity market participants yesterday called for an exemption for energy end-users from legislation that could see the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) increase its jurisdictional powers over the sector.
Proprietary raiding
US President Obama in January unveiled a proposal to prevent banks from owning, investing in or sponsoring hedge funds, private equity funds or proprietary trading operations for their own profit. What do authorities mean by ‘prop trading’ and how…
EPA lays out GHG regulation timetable
The regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to begin in 2011 with a higher-than-expected threshold, according to the latest details from the agency.
State drops out of regional carbon trading scheme
Arizona has pulled out of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) cap-and-trade scheme over fears it would put the state at a competitive disadvantage.
Obama admits Senate may need to drop carbon trading
US President Barack Obama has acknowledged the potential need to strip cap and trade out of US energy legislation currently being re-drafted in the US Senate in order to pass the bill.
To be clear on OTC regulation
The US House of Representatives passed a bill on December 11 requiring all standardised derivatives contracts traded between dealers and major swap participants to clear through a registered clearing organisation. The Senate is preparing to debate its…
Markey: Climate bill by end of 2010
President Barack Obama will have a new clean energy bill to sign by the end of the year, according to US congressman Edward Markey.
Obama calls for comprehensive energy bill
In last night’s State of the Union address, President Barack Obama said he was eager to advance a bipartisan energy and climate change bill in the US Senate.