[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 127 (Monday, July 20, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4297-S4298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2468. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. Kennedy) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ___. SUBMISSION OF DATA RELATING TO DIVERSITY BY
ISSUERS.
Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15
U.S.C. 78m) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(s) Submission of Data Relating to Diversity.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
``(A) the term `executive officer' has the meaning given
the term in section 230.501 of title 17, Code of Federal
Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of this
subsection; and
``(B) the term `veteran' has the meaning given the term in
section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
``(2) Submission of disclosure.--Each issuer required to
file an annual report under subsection (a) shall disclose in
any proxy statement relating to the election of directors,
and in any information statement that so relates, that is
filed with the Commission the following:
``(A) Data, based on voluntary self-identification, on the
racial, ethnic, and gender composition of--
``(i) the board of directors of the issuer;
``(ii) nominees for the board of directors of the issuer;
and
``(iii) the executive officers of the issuer.
``(B) The status, based on voluntary self-identification,
of any member of the board of directors of the issuer, any
nominee for the board of directors of the issuer, or any
executive officer of the issuer as a veteran.
``(C) Whether the board of directors of the issuer, or any
committee of that board of directors, has, as of the date on
which the issuer makes a disclosure under this paragraph,
adopted any policy, plan, or strategy
[[Page S4298]]
to promote racial, ethnic, and gender diversity among--
``(i) the board of directors of the issuer;
``(ii) nominees for the board of directors of the issuer;
or
``(iii) the executive officers of the issuer.
``(3) Alternative submission.--In any 1-year period in
which an issuer required to file an annual report under
subsection (a) does not file with the Commission a proxy
statement or information statement described in paragraph
(2), the issuer shall disclose the information required under
that paragraph in the first annual report of the issuer that
the issuer submits to the Commission after the end of that 1-
year period.
``(4) Best practices.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this subsection, and once every 3 years
thereafter, the Director of the Office of Minority and Women
Inclusion of the Commission (referred to in this paragraph as
the `Director'), in consultation with the advisory council
established under subparagraph (C), shall publish best
practices with respect to compliance with this subsection.
``(B) Comments.--The Director may, pursuant to subchapter
II of chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code, solicit
public comments relating to the best practices published
under subparagraph (A).
``(C) Advisory council.--The Director shall, in accordance
with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.),
establish an advisory council that shall--
``(i) include issuers and investors; and
``(ii) advise the Director with respect to the best
practices published under subparagraph (A).''.
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