Enzi Unveils Accelerated SEC Hiring Bill

Washington (March 5, 2003) -- Former accountant and current Wyoming senator Mike Enzi has introduced a bill that would ease make it easier for the Securities and Exchange Commission to hire much-need accountants.

Enzi’s bill would allow the SEC to exempt accountants, economists and compliance examiners from civil service hiring requirements.

Enzi, a former tax accountant, said the SEC has a serious shortage of accountants, with about 60 percent of openings unfilled due to civil-service hiring restrictions. Enzi said the civil-service rules could take six months to a year to complete.

"That's too much time wasted on red-tape when we need people to crack down on corporate crime now," said Enzi, chairman of the Subcommittee on Securities and Investment of the Senate Banking Committee in a statement. "The quicker we can get accountants hired, the quicker the SEC can get to work doing proper oversight to eliminate corporate corruption and strengthen investor confidence."

-- Electronic Accountant Newswire staff

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