[swheats]

This appears to update existing laws and increases penalties. Seems they are needed considering the brazenness of the crimes.

U.S. lawmakers target corporate wrongdoers
The U.S. House and U.S. Senate passed bills last week that include tougher penalties for corporate fraud. A conference committee has until next month to pass a compromise measure. Here's a comparison of the two bills:

HOUSE

• Creates new penalties for corporate fraud and document shredding, including prison terms of up to 25 years for securities fraud. Company chairmen, CEOs and chief financial officers who certify false company financial reports would face prison terms of 10 to 20 years and fines of $1 million to $5 million.
  
  
• Increases sentences for mail and wire fraud from five years to 20 years.
  
  
• Creates criminal penalties for company officials who retaliate against whistle-blowers.
  
  SENATE
  
  
• Creates new penalties for corporate fraud and document shredding, including 10-year prison terms for securities fraud. Chief executive officers and chief financial officers who certify false company financial reports would get prison terms of five to 10 years and fines of $500,000 to $1 million.
  
  Also doubles sentences for mail and wire fraud, blocks payments to company officials suspected of wrongdoing, extends the period of time in which defrauded investors can bring lawsuits against companies and gives federal protection to company whistle-blowers.

  U.S. lawmakers target corporate wrongdoers

[dixiechick2000]

Could Bush and Pitt be waiting for this legislation to become law before they hand down indictments?
To be more specific, are they waiting for this to be enacted into law so they can really hammer them?