15 U.S.C. § 78ll: Requirements for the EDGAR system

The Commission, by rule or regulation—(1) shall provide that any information in the EDGAR system that is required to be disseminated by the contractor—(A) may be sold or disseminated by the contractor only pursuant to a uniform schedule of fees prescribed by the Commission; (B) may be obtained by a purchaser by direct interconnection with the EDGAR system; (C) shall be equally available on equal terms to all persons; and (D) may be used, resold, or redisseminated by any person who has lawfully obtained such information without restriction and without payment of additional fees or royalties; and (2) shall require that persons, or classes of persons, required to make filings with the Commission submit such filings in a form and manner suitable for entry into the EDGAR system and shall specify the date that such requirement is effective with respect to that person or class; except that the Commission may exempt persons or classes of persons, or filings or classes of filings, from such rules or regulations in order to prevent hardships or to avoid imposing unreasonable burdens or as otherwise may be necessary or appropriate.