OFHEO Sees Progress, but 'Much to Do,' at GSEs

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are making progress in correcting their systems, controls, and financial reporting, but "they still have much to do," according to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight's 2006 report on its examinations of the two government-sponsored enterprises."A key indicator of successful remediation will be the timely filing of annual and quarterly financial statements by each company with a clean audit based on a controls-based audit," OFHEO Director James Lockhart said. OFHEO urges the boards of directors at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to continue monitoring management's efforts to remedy internal control weaknesses. The agency says Freddie appears further along in fixing its internal controls. And OFHEO indicates that successful remediation "should permit a return to controls-based auditing and ensure a sustainable control environment for financial reporting." OFHEO can be found online at http://www.ofheo.gov.