Advocacy
Update
Kevin O’Neill,
Deputy Global Managing Partner for
Public Policy, Investigatory and
Regulatory Solutions
Squire Patton Boggs LLP
About Squire Patton Boggs
• Our firm has nearly 1,500 lawyers in 44 offices across 21
countries
• We are proud to have the most experienced and well-
recognized public policy practice in the US and
internationally
• We help The IIA assess, in advance or in real time, what
government policies could affect its members’ interests
• We make sure your issues are heard by the right people
The Role of Public Policy
• Public Policy Professionals strategize and determine the best
ways to advocate on behalf of clients’ interests to various key
stakeholders (most often policymakers and their staff)
• As part of our job as lobbyists for The IIA, we:– Coordinate with The IIA’s staff to develop an advocacy plan (including
legislative, regulatory, and media goals, as well as priority issue areas)
– Research and analyze legislative and regulatory proposals
– Monitor and report on developments
– Attend congressional and regulatory hearings and events
– Build and work with coalitions interested in the same issues
– Educate, advocate to, and liaise with key stakeholders regarding issues
of importance to The IIA
IIA Federal Advocacy Goals
• Short-term Goal:
– Introduce The IIA to policymakers and regulators
• Medium-term Goals:
– Become a trusted source of information
– Participate in the dialogue regarding good governance,
risk management, and internal controls
• Long-term Goals:
– Be the primary voice for the internal auditing profession
– Recognition of The IIA’s standards in legislation and/or
regulation
IIA Staff Accomplishments
• IIA staff has had nearly 100 visits with policymakers,
regulators, and relevant stakeholders (of that total, 44
meetings have been held with Congressional Staff members
and/or Members of Congress)
• Squire Patton Boggs staff meet regularly with IIA’s Leaders
– Approximately 20 in-person meetings
– Two Advocacy Days with Industry Leaders
– Regular Conference Calls
– Weekly Updates on Washington Developments, Hearing
Reports, and Analyses on Topics of Interest
Offices with which The IIA has met since
the beginning of its Advocacy Campaign
114th Congress: House Leadership
House Majority Leader
Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)Speaker of the House
John Boehner (R-OH)
House Minority Whip
Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Offices with which The IIA has met since
the beginning of its Advocacy Campaign
114th Congress: Senate Leadership
Senate Minority Leader
Harry Reid (D-NV)
Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Democratic Conference
Vice Chair
Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Offices with which The IIA has met since
the beginning of its Advocacy Campaign
114th Congress: CPA Caucus
Rep. Mike Conaway
(R-TX)Rep. Patrick Murphy
(D-FL)
Sen. Ron Johnson
(R-WI)Sen. Mike Enzi
(R-WY)
Offices with which The IIA has met since
the beginning of its Advocacy Campaign
114th Congress: House Financial Services Committee
Chairman
Jeb Hensarling
(R-TX)
Ranking Member
Maxine Waters
(D-CA)
Subcommittee
Ranking Member
Rep. Carolyn
Maloney (D-NY)
Subcommittee Chair
Rep. Sean Duffy
(R-WI)
Offices with which The IIA has met since
the beginning of its Advocacy Campaign
114th Congress: House Financial Services Committee
Rep. Randy
Hultgren (R-IL)
Rep. Steve Stivers
(R-OH)
Rep. Scott Tipton
(R-CO)Rep. French Hill
(R-AR)
Offices with which The IIA has met since
the beginning of its Advocacy Campaign
114th Congress: Senate Banking Committee
Subcommittee Chair
Sen. Mike Crapo
(R-ID)
Sen. Jack Reed
(D-RI)
Sen. Bob Casey
(D-PA)
Chairman
Sen. Richard Shelby
(R-AL)
Recent Legislative Deliverables
• Advocacy Materials
• IG Letters; Continued Dialogue with Staff on IG Vacancies
• Comments on Senator Jack Reed’s (D-RI) Housing Proposal
• Dialogue on Cybersecurity Concerns
• Discussions on Draft Language for Senate Companion Bill to
House SEC Cost-Benefit Analysis Bill Introduced by Rep.
Scott Garrett (R-NJ)
• IG Review Committee Memo
• Comments on the Defense Department Audit Advisory Panel
Legislation
Regulators with whom The IIA has met since
the beginning of its Advocacy Campaign
• SEC
– Have met with four of the Commissioners
• PCAOB
– Have met with the Board Members
• CFPB
• OCC
Recent Regulatory Deliverables
• Began a dialogue with various agencies, such as the SEC
and CFPB, on rulemakings under consideration
• Engaged with the OCC to gain regulatory feedback on The
IIA’s standards that are currently under development
• Continued advocating for reference to The IIA’s Standards in
Agency Rulemakings
2015 Legislative Goals
• Relationship Building with Policymakers
• Requests for IIA Testimony or Comments
– Have already received a request for and submitted a letter of support in
favor of Rep. Steve Stivers’ (R-OH) CFPB IG Bill
• Speakers/Appearances at IIA Events
– Rep. French Hill (R-AR) is set to speak at the Financial Services
Exchange in September
• Legislative Acknowledgement of the Function of Internal Audit
2015 Legislative Goals
• Greater Awareness of the Role of Internal Auditors
• Participation in Drafting Legislation that Affects the Auditing
profession (e.g., NDAA)
– Regularly communicating with staff to keep apprised of relevant,
upcoming legislation
• Host a Training/Briefing for CPA Caucus Members and staff
– Presently coordinating with Rep. Mike Conaway’s (R-TX) office to
arrange a training/briefing in the coming months for Members/staff on the
role of internal audit
2015 Regulatory Goals
• Relationship Building with Regulatory Targets
• Navigating Regulatory Agencies
• Increased References to The IIA’s Standards in New
Regulations
– For example, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA)
recently required its internal auditors to follow IIA standards
2015 Regulatory Goals
• Speakers/Appearances at IIA Events
– Steve Merriett, Deputy Associate Director and Chief Accountant,
Federal Reserve Board; and Molly Scherf, Deputy Comptroller, Large
Banks, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will speak at the
Financial Services Exchange in September
• Inbound Agency Contacts with The IIA
• Greater Awareness of the Role of Internal Auditors
2015 Media Outreach Goals
• Capitalize on opportunities to educate Washington about the
internal auditing profession through media outlets
– Clark Ervin (partner at Squire Patton Boggs and former IG of the
Department of Homeland Security from ‘03-’04, as well as of the
State Department and Broadcasting Board of Governors from ‘01-’02)
will continue to play an integral role in seeking media opportunities for
The IIA
• Become a resource to the media when the internal auditing
profession must comment on regulations, legislation, or
current affairs
• Securing speakers for September 2015 Financial Services
Exchange in Washington
Priority Issues for the 114th Congress
• Inspectors General (Filling Vacancies and Establishing an
Independent CFPB IG)
• Dodd-Frank Act Implementation and Compliance
• Dodd-Frank Act Reforms
• Addressing the Current Regulatory Burden
• Oversight of Agencies (especially FSOC and CFPB, as well
as the SEC and Federal Reserve)
• Tax Reform
• Cybersecurity
• Military/Defense/Government Auditing
How You Can Help
• To assist in The IIA’s advocacy efforts, it is critical that you
engage with members of your local chapter to get a sense
about what issues are important to them
• It is equally important that you then relay these issues to IIA
staff, as they will use that information to inform the advocacy
plan we develop (and constantly refine) for The IIA
How You Can Help
• When we meet with policymakers, they are particularly
interested to hear about the issues that their constituents are
having, so any information you provide to IIA staff is helpful in
shaping our advocacy plan and attracting the attention and
support of your respective representatives
• The IIA is building its grassroots network for future
assistance. If you have a relationship with any Member of
Congress or Congressional staff member, please let IIA staff
know.