I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2998 
To amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to prohibit mandatory pre- 
dispute arbitration agreements, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 2, 2013 
Mr. ELLISON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to prohibit 
mandatory pre-dispute arbitration agreements, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Investor Choice Act 
of 2013’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Investor confidence in fair and equitable re-
course is essential to the health and stability of the 
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securities markets and to the participation of retail 
investors in such markets. 
(2) Brokers, dealers, and investment advisers 
hold powerful advantages over investors, and manda-
tory arbitration clauses, including contracts that 
force investors to submit claims to arbitration or to 
waive their right to participate in class actions, le-
verage these advantages to severely restrict the abil-
ity of defrauded investors to seek redress. 
(3) Investors should be free to choose arbitra-
tion to resolve disputes if they judge that arbitration 
truly offers them the best opportunity to efficiently 
and fairly settle disputes, and investors should also 
be free to pursue remedies in court, should they view 
that option as superior to arbitration. 
SEC. 3. ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS IN THE SECURITIES 
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934. 
Section 15(o) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(15 U.S.C. 78o(o)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(o) 
LIMITATIONS
ON
PRE-DISPUTE
AGREE-
MENTS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it 
shall be unlawful for any broker, dealer, funding portal, 
or municipal securities dealer to enter into, modify, or ex-
tend an agreement with customers or clients of such entity 
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with respect to a future dispute between the parties to 
such agreement that— 
‘‘(1) mandates arbitration for such dispute; 
‘‘(2) restricts, limits, or conditions the ability of 
a customer or client of such entity to select or des-
ignate a forum for resolution of such dispute; or 
‘‘(3) restricts, limits, or conditions the ability of 
a customer or client to pursue a claim relating to 
such dispute in an individual or representative ca-
pacity or on a class action or consolidated basis.’’. 
SEC. 4. ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS IN THE INVESTMENT 
ADVISERS ACT OF 1940. 
Section 205(f) of the Investment Advisers Act of 
1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–5(f)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it 
shall be unlawful for any investment adviser to enter into, 
modify, or extend an agreement with customers or clients 
of such entity with respect to a future dispute between 
the parties to such agreement that— 
‘‘(1) mandates arbitration for such dispute; 
‘‘(2) restricts, limits, or conditions the ability of 
a customer or client of such entity to select or des-
ignate a forum for resolution of such dispute; or 
‘‘(3) restricts, limits, or conditions the ability of 
a customer or client to pursue a claim relating to 
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such dispute in an individual or representative ca-
pacity or on a class action or consolidated basis.’’. 
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, 
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act 
and shall apply to any agreement created, modified, or ex-
tended after the date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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