Weiss Research, Inc.
Chronology of Public Service Activities

For two decades, Weiss Research and its affiliates have been continuing advocates for consumers and investors in the insurance, banking and brokerage industries, dedicating resources to Congressional testimony, constructive proposals for reforms in the securities industry, standards of practice for newsletter publishers as well as sound accounting and fiscal policy:

July 2007

Federal Reserve and FDIC: Weiss Research submits its white paper “How Federal Regulators, Lenders, and Wall Street Created America’s Housing Crisis — Nine Proposals for a Long-Term Recovery” by Michael D. Larson.

Nov. 2004 Investors and nonprofit groups: Weiss launches the Sound Dollar Committee’s Investor Campaign for an Honest Budget.
Oct. 2004 Financial Publishers: Weiss Research co-founds the Financial Publishers Association, devoted to enhancing and maintaining the financial publishing industry’s reputation for excellence while helping individual investors build their wealth.
March 2004 Investorside Research Conference: Weiss presents white paper “Stock Research for the Global Settlement: Qualitative or Quantitative Approaches?” In it, Weiss demonstrates the constructive role quantitative approaches can play in shielding the research process from bias and conflicts, proposing that regulators shed any prejudice they may have against such approaches. Click here
June 2003 U.S. Senate: Weiss submits testimony regarding medical malpractice caps, which, in turn, forms the primary basis of a presentation by Senator Kennedy on the Senate floor. Click here
May 2003 SEC and state regulators: Weiss provides a detailed analysis and comparison of overlapping rule-making initiatives by the SEC, state attorneys general, the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and the Global Settlement. Weiss proposes (1) a better centralization of the various initiatives under the SEC, (2) divestiture of investment banking from companies providing research analysis and recommendations, and (3) a better link between each analyst’s incentive compensation and his or her performance track record. Click here
March 2002 SEC: Weiss submits comments on NYSE and NASD proposed changes relating to exchange rules and to research analyst conflicts of interest, proposing the creation of a comprehensive stock ratings database made widely available to the public, enabling investors to compare the ratings and historical track records of research analysts and their firms. Click here
Dec. 2002 SEC: Weiss submits public commentary proposing that nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) be required to operate without conflicts of interest in their business models, or failing to do so, to at least better disclose those conflicts. Click here
Aug. 2002 SEC: Weiss submits industry commentary to the SEC regarding proposed rules on analyst certification. Weiss recommends that regulators address the sources and causes of the conflicts with more specific measures aimed at promoting a change in the structure of the investment banking and brokerage business. Click here
July 2002 U.S. Senate: Weiss provides a white paper on accounting reform, proposing that corporate financial statements be reviewed quarterly and that the record of each auditing firm's warnings of future difficulties be tracked and disclosed to the public. The Senate e-mails highlights of the Weiss white paper to its members immediately prior to their vote on the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002, sponsored by Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD). Click here
June 2002 National Press Club: Weiss presents the white paper, Crisis of Confidence on Wall Street, proposing ways to help investors make constructive, informed decisions in the selection of brokers. Click here.
Nov. 1999 Consumers: Weiss offers free advice to Medicare beneficiaries being dropped from their HMOs.
1999 Investors: Weiss Research’s Safe Money Report warns that a large percentage of corporate earnings reports are suspect of manipulation, offering investors instructions on how to avoid any adverse consequences.
1994 Investors:Weiss Research’s Safe Money Report warns that stock research and ratings issued by Wall Street brokerage and investment banking firms are distorted by conflicts of interest, offering investors recommendations on how to acquire unbiased and objective information.
Feb. 1992 U.S. Senate: Mr. Weiss testifies before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs regarding the crisis of confidence in the insurance industry, proposing specific steps for overcoming the crisis.
July 1991 U.S. House of Representatives: Martin D. Weiss testifies before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Competitiveness regarding the insurance crisis, proposing better risk disclosure to consumers.