Further confirmation that Sarbanes-Oxley is here to stay with Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke telling the US Senate Banking Committee that Sarbanes-Oxley is "worthwhile to keep", according to news reports.

"If you take Sarbanes-Oxley as an example, to the extent that Sarbanes-Oxley appropriately balances disclosures and governance against the costs of achieving those disclosures and governance, I think it's worthwhile to keep even if there's some short-run tendency for firms to run away from that. Because the investor wants that protection, and ultimately the investor will reward firms that list on exchanges that have appropriate, adequate protections, such as a well-designed Sarbanes-Oxley."

Yes, he acknowledges the questions about the costs. But the important part is his line that it "appropriately balances" the disclosure and governance against the outgoings.

In other words, according to Bernanke's cost-benefit analysis the price is worth paying. Tell that to the smaller companies.

Any changes to the Act, as far as Bernanke is concerned, should no more than tinker at the edges. That will disappoint SOX critics who are hanging out for real change.

Quite a contrast to his predecessor who was reported last year saying that Sarbanes-Oxley should be dumped.