Washington, D.C., April 16, 2021 – SIFMA released the following statement from Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr., SIFMA president and CEO on legislation introduced today that would ban arbitration clauses in all consumer contracts, including the retail contracts of investors who utilize the services of broker-dealers:

“SIFMA consistently advocates to enhance the quality, and substantive and procedural fairness, of securities arbitration as the exclusive dispute resolution forum for most disputes between securities firms and their customers. The securities arbitration system has worked effectively for decades because it is subject to public oversight, regulatory oversight by multiple independent regulators, and rules of procedure that are designed to benefit investors. Pre-dispute arbitration agreements are a vital component of this system. Such agreements help shape the public policy in favor of arbitration that has been recognized by both Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court. This policy is strengthened by the recognition that securities arbitration promotes fair, efficient, and economical dispute resolution for all parties. SIFMA believes we should preserve the current enforceability of arbitration clauses in customer contracts and therefore strongly opposes any effort to ban them.”

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SIFMA is the leading trade association for broker-dealers, investment banks and asset managers operating in the U.S. and global capital markets. On behalf of our industry’s nearly 1 million employees, we advocate for legislation, regulation and business policy affecting retail and institutional investors, equity and fixed income markets and related products and services. We serve as an industry coordinating body to promote fair and orderly markets, informed regulatory compliance, and efficient market operations and resiliency. We also provide a forum for industry policy and professional development. SIFMA, with offices in New York and Washington, D.C., is the U.S. regional member of the Global Financial Markets Association (GFMA). For more information, visit http://www.sifma.org.