It is going to be a busy week for SEC Chairman Paul Atkins on Capitol Hill, with a hearing of the House Committee on Financial Services scheduled for Wednesday and a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs scheduled for Thursday. Both hearings begin at 10:00 am, and both hearings offer a livestream option.

The Committee Majority Staff’s memorandum to the House Committee on Financial Services notes that this will be the first appearance of Chairman Atkins before the Committee. There is certainly quite a bit for these Committees to address with Chairman Atkins, given his articulated focus on, among other things, “Making IPOs Great Again,” addressing crypto asset regulation, and expanding investment opportunities for retail investors.

On this last point, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs is currently considering the Incentivizing New Ventures and Economic Strength Through Capital Formation Act of 2025 (INVEST Act), which was passed by the House back in December 2025. As this Carlton Fields memo notes, Title II of the INVEST Act focuses on expanding investment opportunities for investors, including expanding the ability of investors to qualify as “accredited investors” and therefore invest in the private markets.

– Dave Lynn