FSI Statement on Pres. Obama’s Remarks on DOL Fiduciary Rule

The Financial Services Institute’s (FSI) President & CEO, Dale Brown, today released the following statement regarding President Obama’s announcement that the Department of Labor’s re-proposed fiduciary rule has been filed at OMB:

“FSI members are fully dedicated to protecting investors. Main Street investors are also protected when they have access to affordable advice to help them plan for a dignified retirement. IRA owners are already protected by robust federal and state rules governing the retirement market. Therefore, we are eager to study the re-proposed rule and respond constructively. On average, Department of Labor rules are reviewed by OMB for almost four months. With the revelations last week that not all SEC Commissioners have been formally engaged by DOL, combined with the 200 bi-partisan, bi-cameral members of Congress who have weighed in over the last four years, we expect this process will take as long as necessary to ensure that any final rule avoids serious unintended consequences for Main Street investors.”

“Over 200 bipartisan members of Congress have told the DOL and the administration to carefully consider the impact of the proposal on investor access to retirement advice, products and services – and most expected the OMB would take as long as necessary to ensure that any final rule avoids serious unintended consequences for Main Street investors. We have serious concerns that could have happened in only 50 days.”