Video: Open Meeting

Chairman White discusses money market fund reforms:
Windows Media Player

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Text of
Chairman's statement

The Securities and Exchange Commission today voted unanimously to propose rules that would reform the way that money market funds operate in order to make them less susceptible to runs that could harm investors.

The SEC’s proposal includes two principal alternative reforms that could be adopted alone or in combination. One alternative would require a floating net asset value (NAV) for prime institutional money market funds. The other alternative would allow the use of liquidity fees and redemption gates in times of stress. The proposal also includes additional diversification and disclosure measures that would apply under either alternative.

The SEC began evaluating the need for money market fund reform after the Reserve Primary Fund “broke the buck” at the height of the financial crisis in September 2008.

“Our goal is to implement effective reform that decreases the susceptibility of money market funds to runs and prevents events like what occurred in 2008 from repeating themselves,” said Mary Jo White, Chair of the SEC.

The public comment period for the proposal will last for 90 days after its publication in the Federal Register.