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Republican ESG Working Group Releases Final Staff Report

Washington, Aug 1 -

Today, the Republican Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Working Group—led by Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga (MI-04)—released its final staff report. This report is the culmination of the Working Group’s comprehensive examination of the factors contributing to the rise of ESG initiatives and the consequences for everyday investors, in addition to recommendations to protect American capital markets from the threats posed by these politically motivated mandates.

“Politically motivated ESG mandates put Americans’ financial security at risk and have no place in corporate boardrooms,” said Chairman McHenry. “The Committee’s ESG Working Group report supports this fact as well as provides recommendations to address the failures of progressive environmental and social policy goals. I commend Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga for leading the charge on this important work in his capacity as the leader of the Working Group. Our committee will continue to work to ensure that progressive priorities are not placed above the interests of shareholders, sound corporate governance, or the strength of U.S. capital markets.”

“As Chairman of the ESG Working Group, I believe our work has helped bring to light how vitally important it is to empower everyday investors,” said Congressman Bill Huizenga. “This report not only advances the conversation but delivers tangible solutions to increase transparency and accountability surrounding the shareholder and proxy process. Investors from all walks of life deserve to know that those managing their hard-earned money are working to maximize returns, making it easier, not harder for more Americans to retire with financial security.”

Read the staff report here.

Read key priorities identified in the staff report:

• Reform the proxy voting system to safeguard the interests of retail investors.
• Promote transparency, accountability, and accuracy in the proxy advisory system.
• Enhance accountability in shareholder voting by aligning voting decisions with the economic interests of shareholders.
• Increase transparency and oversight of large asset managers to ensure their practices reflect the pecuniary interest of retail investors.
• Improve ESG rating agency accountability and transparency to safeguard retail shareholders.
• Strengthen oversight and conduct thorough investigations into federal regulatory efforts that would contort our financial system into a vehicle to implement climate policy.
• Demand transparency, responsibility, and adherence to statutory limits from financial and consumer regulatory agencies.
• Protect U.S. companies from burdensome European Union (“EU”) regulations, safeguarding American interests in global markets.

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