Paul S. Atkins is the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (sworn in as the 34th SEC Chair in April 2025). He previously served as an SEC Commissioner (2002–2008) and is a longtime financial industry executive and consultant.
The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is the Senate committee that oversees legislation and policy for banks and banking, insurance, financial markets and securities, housing and urban development, mass transit, international trade and finance, federal monetary policy and related economic policy areas.
Atkins’s testimony addressed issues in the SEC’s remit (see full statement on the SEC website); public reporting around the hearing shows he discussed SEC priorities and regulatory approaches — including enforcement posture and markets/crypto questions raised by lawmakers — but the article excerpt does not list specific topics. For the exact topics, see the full SEC testimony posted on the SEC site.
The SEC posted the testimony on its website at: https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/atkins-testimony-sbhuac-021126. Senate hearing records (dates, witness lists, and any video) are available from the Senate Banking Committee site and congressional hearing archives (committee Hearings/Witness List pages).
Testimony can prompt or inform legislative or regulatory action but does not automatically change law. Hearings give Congress information, can lead to bills or amendments, and can influence agency rulemaking or enforcement; agencies may change priorities after testimony, and Congress may follow with oversight, legislation, or funding actions depending on the hearing’s findings and political support.