March 6, 2017
Dear Commissioner Piwowar,
I have read your statement about your visit to Africa and your concern that the conflict minerals rule may not have had the desired effect on the ground in Africa. I would be very interested in knowing whether the rule had any of the desired results since its implementation. In addition, are there possible changes to the rule that would help some of the smaller companies to continue to produce minerals and meet the expectations of the rule?
Nevertheless, I am writing to express my support for the continued implementation of the Conflict Minerals Rule. As a consumer, it is important to me that I am able to access key information about the companies I purchase from, including information about their conflict minerals sourcing practices. This rule also serves to alert unsuspecting consumers in the US that there might be issues when purchasing certain types of products.
Personally, I do not want my purchases to support violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Conflict Minerals Rule has made it easier for me to assess which companies are taking steps to ensure their products are not linked to this decades-long conflict. Additionally, I believe transparent supply chains are an important indicator of a companys overall stability, which is a key factor for making both purchasing and investment decisions.
I urge you to keep the Conflict Minerals Rule fully intact, and to work with your fellow SEC commissioners to enforce the Rule moving forward.