Capital Briefs: Rubin Seeks Action on Futures Panel Nominees

Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin is pushing for the swift confirmation of Brooksley Born and David Spears to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

In a July 24 letter, Mr. Rubin asked Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott to schedule a vote on the nominations "at the earliest opportunity."

Ms. Born, nominated to chair the commission, is a partner in the Washington law firm Arnold & Porter. Mr. Spears, nominated as a commission member, was a longtime aide to former Sen. Robert Dole. The commission, which regulates agricultural and financial futures, has lacked a permanent chairman since the departure of Mary Shapiro in January.

The two nominees already have been approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee.

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