Politics

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has ruled that Republicans cannot move ahead with slashing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding and Federal Reserve staff pay in the tax bill.

In an interview on CNBC, Fed Governor Christopher Waller reiterated his view on the inflation hit from new tariffs likely being short-lived.

"I would be quite surprised if he did not make a choice that fair-minded observers on both sides recognized as a reasonable person," Summers said on Bloomberg Television.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the changes could touch the central bank's quarterly economic forecasts. He also discussed downsizing at the Fed and his tenure on the board of governors.

The Senate version includes restoration of the mortgage interest deduction, but a tax code revision likely would stifle foreign investment in real estate.

The department's head pointed out that manufactured housing is the most affordable non-subsidized option for building homes.

Bill Pulte's social media posts saying inflation has fallen far enough added to intensified political pressure on the independent Federal Reserve chairman.

Seven officials now foresee no rate cuts this year, compared with four in March. Two others pointed to one cut this year.

Housing advocates are cheering the Senate's embrace of expanding Low Income Housing Tax Credits which ensures a volume increase and reduces a key bond threshold test.

The Trump administration is seeking to fire roughly 90% of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's staff and is fighting for that right in court. But if the administration prevails, can other consumer protection authorities from other federal regulators pick up the slack?