FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             2001-116


SEC Launches Spanish Language Investor Education Website and
                       Other Resources
                              
     Washington, D.C., October 19, 2001 - The Securities and
Exchange Commission today launched a Spanish language
section of the SEC website and other investor education
resources in an effort to reach out to America's fastest
growing demographic group.
     
      The new website will describe the role of the SEC and
how it protects investors.  It will include Spanish
translations of the Commission's most popular brochures on
investing wisely and avoiding fraud.  The website will also
link to Spanish language investor education resources
offered by other government agencies and industry
organizations.
     
     The SEC has also established an e-mail address for
Spanish-speaking investors who have questions or complaints
about the securities industry.  Investors who send e-mails
in Spanish to ayuda@sec.gov will receive a response in
Spanish from the SEC with the help of a translation service.
"Ayuda" means "help" in Spanish.
     
     "As the Hispanic population in the United States
continues to grow, the Commission and its staff believe that
it is important to respond with additional Spanish language
resources," SEC Chairman Harvey L. Pitt said.  "Our agency
wants to help preclude language barriers from separating
investors from reliable information about saving and
investing wisely."
     
     Recent census data shows that the Hispanic population
in the United States has increased by more than 50 percent
since 1990, compared with an increase of only 13.2 percent
for the total U.S. population.  According to projections,
Hispanics will account for the majority of the nation's
population growth for the next 50 years.
     
     Investors can access the Spanish language information
by visiting the SEC's Website at www.sec.gov and then
clicking on "Informacion en Espanol."  The SEC has also
updated its toll-free 800 number (1-800-732-0330) to provide 
information for Spanish-speaking Americans who lack Internet 
access.
     
     
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