Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) issued the following statement today on executive compensation:

“The recent news of compensation on Wall Street shows that some financial leaders yearn for the stirring return of yesteryear and demonstrates the need to adopt legislation on executive pay. It’s a question of empowering the shareholders to decide the appropriate level because it’s their money and giving regulators the ability to prevent compensation incentives that encourage taking inappropriate and excessive risk.  We do not know the specifics, but recently reported bonus pools do suggest that there may be a return to the old ways which caused such damage to our economy. It reinforces our determination to adopt a reasonable set of legislative goals.

“The Financial Services Committee will be marking up legislation next week to give shareholders a say on pay for top executives, which is similar to legislation the House passed in 2007.  In addition, we will consider legislation to empower federal regulators to proscribe inappropriate or imprudent compensation practices as part of solvency regulation of all financial firms. The committee is acting because of a broad consensus of leading national and international finance experts including Paul Volcker and the Group of 30 and Lord Turner of the United Kingdom who believe that compensation structures were a factor in the financial crisis.  Both the United Kingdom and the European Union are contemplating similar rules.”

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