The market is the toughest regulator actually.

Begun in the 1930's, the agency has developed a reputation as a tough regulator and efficient disposer of insolvent banks.

She comes to the firm with a reputation as a tough but fair regulator.

She earned a reputation as a tough regulator of the mutual fund industry and as a stern taskmaster inside the agency.

Blaming tougher regulators and examiners, lenders are also demanding that developers finance as much as 25 percent of their projects.

The deposit agency is known as a tough regulator and would be more able to reign in such lending, these legislators assert.

Mr. Clarke has earned a reputation as a tough regulator among bankers.

Those questions, he said, would figure in his committee's efforts to force the agency to be a tougher regulator.

Surely, that is evidence that we are a tough regulator.

They asked whether that made it difficult for the exchange to be a tough regulator.