Two bills in the House would ensure that the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission could avoid transgressing [rules that block gifts] and still obtain access to industry-created technologies. Both measures have bipartisan support, but with attention on the country’s coronavirus response, neither is on a fast track.
Federal law prohibits agencies from accepting gratuitous goods or services like technology that could help them better regulate the market. Such access is deemed a way for the agency to increase its appropriation. This has led a handful of lawmakers to sponsor bills that would free up regulatory agencies to access platforms such as those used in fintech.
The full article is available at https://www.rollcall.com/2020/05/19/house-bills-would-let-regulators-study-blockchain-backers-say/