The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this week became the fifth and final regulatory agency to advance possible reforms to the Volcker Rule, which aims to restrict proprietary trading practices at banks. The Federal Reserve became the first agency to move a proposal to simplify and ease the Volcker Rule forward last week, followed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.  If adopted, this proposed revision is expected to enhance liquidity to commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) markets.  (Roundtable Weekly, June 1)

SEC Chairman Jay Clayton

• SEC Chairman Jay Clayton said, “The proposal seeks to simplify and tailor the 2013 final rule. I strongly encourage all interested parties to comment on the many questions proposed in the release and I look forward to commentator input about implementing the Volcker Rule in a more effective way.”
• In a memorandum to the Fed's Board of Governors, Fed Vice Chairman for Supervision Randall Quarles details the changes in the proposal.
• U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on June 5 commended the efforts of the Agencies.  Mnuchin stated, “The Treasury Department strongly supports changes aimed at better tailoring the application of the rule, preserving liquidity during periods of stress, decreasing unintended compliance burdens, and encouraging capital formation.  The five agencies responsible for regulation of the Volcker Rule coming together on this notice is an important first step. These efforts are building on the relief for Main Street borrowers and lenders included in the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act recently signed into law by President Trump.”
• In a January 2012 comment letter to the Federal Reserve and other financial regulatory agencies, The Roundtable raised concerns about the unintended consequences of the Volcker Rule that could "negatively impact liquidity and capital formation in commercial real estate."

The Volcker rule reform proposal will be a topic of discussion at next week’s Real Estate Capital Policy Advisory Committee (RECPAC) held in conjunction with The Roundtable’s Annual Meeting in Washington. The Roundtable plans to submit comments to the Agencies before a final rule is expected to be in effect by January 1, 2019.