By Mark S. Nelson, J.D.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 sets the funding for the SEC and the CFTC for the next fiscal year, but it also includes some now familiar, and some less expected, provisions. With respect to the SEC, the appropriations omnibus mandates SEC studies on smaller issuer research and the diversified company threshold. The appropriations omnibus also includes the familiar policy rider barring SEC rules on public company political donations. However, the appropriations omnibus does even more across numerous practice areas. For example, in addition to renewed COVID-19 relief, the appropriations omnibus includes several major environmental provisions, among them the Energy Act of 2020’s R&D provisions for addressing climate change.
For a more comprehensive look at the impact of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, spanning multiple subject areas, see Appropriations and Pandemic Relief Package Addresses More than Funding, Stimulus.