Subcommittee Chairman Predicts Securitization Standards

The chairman of a key subcommittee is predicting that the House of Representatives will pass a regulatory reform bill this year, including new standards for securitizing mortgages and other assets. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and GSEs, said, "We're coordinating our efforts with the European Community and the United Kingdom to try and come up with similar responsibilities when it comes to securitization." Speaking to reporters at a National Association of Federal Credit Unions conference, he said securitization became too speculative during the subprime crisis. He thinks the business can be rebuilt with less risk and more security. "I think having skin in the game is a good principle," he said, adding that this is particularly true when it comes to mortgage makers. Separate from regulatory reform, Rep. Kanjorski said there are discussions going on within his subcommittee about how to restructure Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and "how we can better use the Federal Home Loan Bank System."