Financial Reform Bill Moves Forward

The financial reform bill has made it onto the Senate floor. So what can we expect next? Democrats are trying to create more restrictions on banks. Republicans would like to see fewer consumer protections in the bill. Over the next two weeks, amendments will alter the legislation's final form. Said Republican Sen. Bob Corker or Tennessee: "This may be a real debate, which would shock America." As it now stands, the bill would create a new oversight committee to keep an eye on markets. The Fed Reserve could break up financial institutions that threaten the economy's stability. Derivatives, the kind of financial product that has been at the center of the recent Goldman Sachs investigation, will see greater regulation.