Victoria Finkle

Timothy Pawlenty, president and chief executive of the Financial Services Roundtable, predicted that housing finance reform will pass after the 2014 midterm elections.

The Federal Housing Administration will take a $1.7 billion draw from the U.S. Treasury to shore up its books at the end of the fiscal year, the first transfer it has required in its 79-year history.

Sen. Bob Corker, a co-author of legislation to overhaul the mortgage finance market, forcefully defended his proposal that private capital take at least 10% of the first loss on mortgage-backed securities.

Lawmakers are beginning to look more closely at the impact of a hike in federal flood insurance premiums set to go into effect next month, which some bankers warn could topple the still weakened real estate market in certain regions.

Former Rep. Barney Frank criticized regulators' latest effort to craft an exemption for proposed risk retention requirements, warning it was overly broad.

Rep. Maxine Waters, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, said Tuesday that she is preparing to unveil an alternative housing finance reform proposal to rival more conservative legislation backed by many House Republicans.

The House Majority Leader's failure to include mortgage finance reform in his legislative agenda for the fall has sparked more questions about whether Rep. Jeb Hensarling, Patrick McHenry and others can advance his legislation to the floor this year.

The banking committees are set to resume debate over housing finance reform when Congress returns from summer recess on Monday, but the issue will be just one of many facing lawmakers during a busy fall.

The housing industry is stepping up behind-the-scenes lobbying to alter the housing finance bill sponsored by Rep. Jeb Hensarling and perhaps kill the legislation entirely.

Efforts to overhaul the mortgage finance system are gaining momentum, but key logistical hurdles remain as lawmakers prepare to return from the August recess.

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition unveiled a new white paper that outlines two alternative proposals for integrating affordable housing into the larger mortgage finance reform debate.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is pressuring the Department of Justice for more details related to payments made to the Federal Housing Administration as part of the $25 billion mortgage servicing settlement.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which policymakers are trying to unwind, have operated with explicit affordable housing goals for more than 20 years.

Legislation to reform the Federal Housing Administration sailed through the Senate on Wednesday, but the bill's future remains up in the air as Congress prepares to break for the August recess on Friday.

The Mortgage Bankers Association is proposing fixes for the housing market that regulators can make now, without waiting on lawmakers to overhaul Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling is set to unveil new mortgage finance reform legislation this month—an effort that has virtually no chance of becoming law this year.

Although details of the House legislation are still being worked out, it is likely to eliminate the government-sponsored enterprises and move towards a fully private system.

Rep. Mel Watt defended his judgment and experience with housing issues during a hearing on his nomination to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is turning up the heat on the Federal Home Loan Banks for offering cheap financing to private student loan provider Sallie Mae.

Rep. Maxine Waters, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, is asking for an investigation into claims that Bank of America purposefully delayed borrowers from entering the Home Affordable Modification Program.