[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 213 (Friday, November 2, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55608-55609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-27523]



[[Page 55608]]

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COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

17 CFR Parts 1, 41 and 190

RIN 3038-AB71 and 3038-AB76

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

17 CFR Parts 240 and 242

[Release No. 34-44996; File Nos. S7-16-01 and S7-17-01]
RIN 3235-AI22 and 3235-AI32


Customer Margin Rules Relating to Security Futures; Applicability 
of CFTC and SEC Customer Protection, Recordkeeping, Reporting, and 
Bankruptcy Rules and the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 to 
Accounts Holding Security Futures Products

AGENCIES: Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Securities and 
Exchange Commission.

ACTION: Joint proposed rules; extension of comment periods.

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SUMMARY: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'') and 
Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'') (collectively, the 
``Commissions'') are extending the comment periods for the customer 
margin rules relating to security futures contained in proposed Release 
No. 34-44853 (September 26, 2001), 66 FR 50719 (October 4, 2001) and 
the rule relating to the applicability of CFTC and SEC customer 
protection, recordkeeping, reporting, and bankruptcy rules and the 
Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 to accounts holding security 
futures products proposed in Release No. 34-44854 (September 26, 2001), 
66 FR 50785 (October 4, 2001). The original comment periods for these 
proposals are scheduled to end on November 5, 2001. The new deadline 
for submitting public comments on both of the above releases is 
December 5, 2001.

DATES: Public comments are due on or before December 5, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to both agencies at the addresses 
listed below.
    CFTC: Comments should be sent to the Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st Street, NW, Washington, 
DC 20581, Attention: Office of the Secretariat. Comments may be sent by 
facsimile transmission to (202) 418-5521, or by e-mail to 
[email protected]. Reference should be made to ``Customer Margin for 
Security Futures'' or ``Proposed Rule 41.42--Treatment of Customer 
Funds.'' All comment letters will be posted, as submitted, on the 
CFTC's Internet web site (http://www.cftc.gov).
    SEC: Persons wishing to submit written comments should send three 
copies to Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary, Securities and Exchange 
Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. Comments 
also may be submitted electronically at the following e-mail address: 
[email protected]. All comment letters should refer to File No. S7-
16-01 (relating to customer margin for security futures) or S7-17-01 
(relating to treatment of customer funds); this file number should be 
included on the subject line if e-mail is used. Comment letters 
received will be available for public inspection and copying in the 
SEC's Public Reference Room, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20549-0102. Electronically submitted comment letters will be posted on 
the SEC's Internet web site (http://www.sec.gov). The SEC does not edit 
personal identifying information, such as names or e-mail addresses, 
from electronic submissions. Submit only the information you wish to 
make publicly available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: CFTC: Regarding Customer Margin Rules 
Relating to Security Futures, Phyllis P. Dietz, Special Counsel, 
Division of Trading and Markets, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, 
Three Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20581. 
Telephone: (202) 418-5000. E-mail: ([email protected]).
    Regarding Applicability of CFTC and SEC Customer Protection, 
Recordkeeping, Reporting, and Bankruptcy Rules and the Securities 
Investor Protection Act of 1970 to Accounts Holding Security Futures 
Products, Helene D. Schroeder, Special Counsel, Division of Trading and 
Markets, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 
1155 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20581. Telephone: (202) 418-5430. 
E-mail: ([email protected]).
    SEC: Regarding Customer Margin Rules Relating to Security Futures, 
Jennifer Colihan, Special Counsel, at (202) 942-0735, Division of 
Market Regulation, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth 
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-1001.
    Regarding Applicability of CFTC and SEC Customer Protection, 
Recordkeeping, Reporting, and Bankruptcy Rules and the Securities 
Investor Protection Act of 1970 to Accounts Holding Security Futures 
Products Bonnie L. Gauch, Attorney, at (202) 942-0765, Office of Risk 
Management and Control; and with respect to Exchange Act Rule 10b-10, 
Catherine McGuire, Chief Counsel, or Theodore R. Lazo, Special Counsel, 
at (202) 942-0073, Division of Market Regulation, Securities and 
Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-1001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 4, 2001, the Commissions 
published for comment proposed rules governing customer margin for 
security futures. The proposed rules would apply to margin arrangements 
between brokers, dealers, and members of national securities exchanges 
and their customers with respect to security futures, subject to 
certain exclusions. Also on October 4, 2001, the Commissions published 
for comment proposed rules relating to the applicability of the 
Commissions' customer protection, recordkeeping, reporting, and 
bankruptcy rules and the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 to 
accounts holding security futures products. These proposing releases 
established a deadline of November 5, 2001 for submitting public 
comment.
    The Commissions have received a request from the Securities 
Industry Association (``SIA'') and Futures Industry Association 
(``FIA'') to extend the deadline on each release by an additional 30 
days so that their members have an adequate opportunity to review these 
proposals and provide thoughtful comment.\1\ The SIA and FIA explained 
that, in light of the tragic events of September 11, the securities and 
futures industries need more time to provide meaningful comments. They 
stated their belief that such extensions would not have any adverse 
consequences, recognizing that such extensions could delay commencement 
of trading of security futures on other than a principal-to-principal 
basis between eligible contract participants beyond December 21, 
2001.\2\ In letters to the leadership of the Senate Committee on 
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and the House Committees on 
Financial Services and Agriculture, the SIA and

[[Page 55609]]

FIA further pointed out that ``the tragic events of September 11, 2001 
have severely strained the systems, personnel and related operational 
resources of the firms, exchanges and clearing organizations that 
provide the infrastructure for the U.S. capital markets.'' \3\
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    \1\ See letter to Jean A. Webb, Secretary, CFTC, and Jonathan G. 
Katz, Secretary, SEC, from the SIA and FIA, dated October 16, 2001 
(``SIA/FIA Extension Request'').
    \2\ Section 6(g)(5) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Exchange Act'') permits security futures products to commence 
trading on the later of December 21, 2001 or such date that a 
futures association registered under Section 17 of the Commodity 
Exchange Act has met the requirements set forth in Section 15A(k)(2) 
of the Exchange Act. 15 U.S.C. 78f(g)(5).
    \3\ See letters to The Honorable Paul S. Sarbanes, Chairman, 
Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, The 
Honorable Michael G. Oxley, Chairman, House Committee on Financial 
Services, and The Honorable Larry Combest, Chairman, House Committee 
on Agriculture, from the SIA and FIA, dated October 10, 2001 
(attached to the SIA/FIA Extension Request). The Commissions also 
note that the House Committees on Financial Services and Agriculture 
support an extension of the public comment period by joint letter to 
Chairmen Newsome and Pitt. See letter to The Honorable James E. 
Newsome, Chairman, CFTC, and The Honorable Harvey Pitt, Chairman, 
SEC, from The Honorable Michael G. Oxley, Chairman, House Committee 
on Financial Services, and The Honorable Larry Combest, Chairman, 
House Committee on Agriculture, dated October 15, 2001.
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    The Commissions are extending the comment periods for the proposed 
rules until December 5, 2001, even if, as noted by Chairmen Oxley and 
Combest, granting such extension would mean that security futures would 
not commence trading on other than a principal-to-principal basis 
between eligible contract participants until after December 21, 2001, 
because they believe that an additional 30-day comment period is 
appropriate for the reasons described above and will facilitate more 
meaningful comments from the public.

    By the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

    Dated: October 25, 2001.
Jean A. Webb,
Secretary.
    By the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Dated: October 29, 2000.
Jonathan G. Katz,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-27523 Filed 11-1-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P