Washington – The Coalition for Derivatives End-Users today issued the following statement on the introduction of legislation by Senators Mike Johanns (R-NE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jon Tester (D-MT), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Kay Hagan (D-NC) to exempt non-financial end-user companies from margin requirements applied to their derivatives trades:

“The bill introduced today by Sens. Johanns, Crapo, Toomey, Tester, Kohl and Hagan helps main street businesses invest more funds in expanding their operations and creating jobs by freeing them from the costly and needless requirements that are threatened by Dodd-Frank Act margin regulations.   The bill is about protecting companies that use derivatives to manage risk, not create it.  The Coalition for Derivatives End-Users, and the hundreds of businesses it represents, applauds this bipartisan legislation and looks forward to Senate action that mirrors its overwhelming passage in the House earlier this year,” said Michael Bopp, Counsel to the Coalition for Derivatives End-Users.

The Coalition for Derivatives End-Users includes the following major U.S. business associations:

Agricultural Retailers Association

Business Roundtable

Commodity Markets Council

Financial Executives International

National Association of Corporate Treasurers

National Association of Manufacturers

The Real Estate Roundtable

###