Senate Banking Committee

There is bipartisan agreement in the Senate that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are "too big to fail," but some lawmakers are skeptical that a SIFI designation is appropriate.

In her first four and a half months, Kathy Kraninger met with lawmakers more than twice as often as her predecessor, but her schedule demonstrates willingness to meet with industry and policy stakeholders from various camps.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Doug Jones, D-Ala., cited research that found algorithmic lending can lead to higher interest rates for minority borrowers.

Two senators, a Republican and a Democrat, have revived legislation that would prohibit Congress from using certain fees collected by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to offset unrelated government spending.

New FHFA Director Mark Calabria isn't just charting a future for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but also fixing problems resulting from the "qualified mortgage" exemption for the GSEs and taking a "deep dive" into problems in the mortgage servicing market.

A bipartisan proposal would allow for the removal of the FHFA director if the agency approves CEO salary increases at Fannie and Freddie beyond $600,000.

Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York signaled which legislative provisions Democratic leaders would accept in a bipartisan housing finance package.

Senators dove into how to ensure housing finance reform serves lenders of all sizes, just as the Trump administration moved closer to crafting its own GSE plan.

Lawmakers still have a long way to go before enacting housing finance reform, but the testimony could signal how future legislative talks will play out.

Mark Calabria has notably criticized the government’s role in housing, but some groups have taken him at his word when he told senators that he supported affordable housing initiatives.

There’s bipartisan consensus that the conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are unsustainable, but that may not be enough for lawmakers to upend the current system.

Revised legislation would exclude credit unions from Community Reinvestment Act requirements, but could make the National Credit Union Administration the de facto enforcer of how CUs meet the needs of underserved markets.

The Senate Banking Committee will hold two hearings at the end of March on Chairman Mike Crapo’s most recent framework for housing finance reform.

The 2020 presidential hopeful removed the contentious provision from a previous version of the bill that had won praise from bankers but sparked fierce opposition from credit unions.

In remarks to credit unions, the Senate Banking Committee Chairman said that fixing the government-sponsored enterprises and data security were priorities.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said "the best place for me to continue fighting for Ohio and for the dignity of workers ... is to stay in the U.S. Senate."

If confirmed to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Mark Calabria would have a central role in any efforts to reform the government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

The Senate Banking Committee's vote on Mark Calabria's nomination to lead the agency comes amid speculation about congressional and administrative GSE reform plans.

The administration’s choice to regulate the government-sponsored enterprises appeared to distance himself from speculation that the White House may try to overhaul housing finance without legislation.

Industry observers will be closely monitoring Mark Calabria's testimony before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday for hints about how the Trump administration plans to proceed on mortgage finance reform.