The ongoing mission of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.

During the current turmoil in the credit markets, the SEC has worked closely with the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and other regulators in the U.S. and around the world to protect investors to help found money and the markets.

The SEC administers the federal securities laws, requires disclosure by public companies, and brings enforcement actions against securities law violators.

"Today, we are continuing to build on that essential premise: that investors have a right to know the truth — and the risks — about the securities that trade in our public markets. Never in this agency's history has this fundamental mission been more relevant, and more urgent. The current credit crisis has shown the importance of transparency to a healthy marketplace — and how costly hidden risk can be." SEC Chairman Christopher Cox
Opening Remarks at SEC Roundtable 10/8/08 www.sec.gov