The Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) congratulates Chair Paul Atkins on his swearing-in to lead the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Chair Atkins’ deep experience with the SEC and long-standing commitment to investor protection position him well to lead the Commission at a time of rapid change in the capital markets and corporate reporting. 
The CAQ shares Chair Atkins’ belief in the critical role that independent assurance plays in fostering trust in our financial system.  We look forward to working with him and the full Commission to support policies that strengthen disclosures, elevate transparency, and advance the integrity and resilience of our capital markets. 
“Strong capital markets depend on strong investor confidence — and investor confidence depends on the credibility of the information they rely on,” said Julie Bell Lindsay, CEO of the Center for Audit Quality. “We welcome Chair Atkins’ leadership and look forward to working together to advance thoughtful, forward-looking policymaking that recognizes the vital role of assurance in protecting investors and reinforcing the integrity of our markets.” 
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About the Center for Audit Quality 
The CAQ champions the public interest in the capital markets by: 

Elevating the quality, credibility, and transparency of public company audits; 


Advancing critical issues affecting public company audits; 


Driving innovation in assurance; and 


Providing a collaborative forum for capital market stakeholders to address evolving needs and challenges. 

As the voice of the public company audit profession, we work to instill trust in corporate reporting and the integrity of the auditing process, ultimately empowering investors, companies, and society as a whole. 

Statement on the Swearing-In of Paul Atkins as Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

This letter submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or Commission) represents the views of the Audit Committee Council (ACC) regarding the ﬁnal rules adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board on November 21, 2024 (File Nos. PCAOB 2024 – 06 and PCAOB 2024 – 07) and ﬁled with the SEC on November 22, 2024, in Release Nos. 34- 101724 and 34-101723 related to Rules on Firm and Engagement Metric and Firm Reporting.
In the ACC’s view, it is not in the public interest for the SEC to approve these Final Rules, nor would doing so further the protection of investors.
Read the full comment letter here.

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