Regulatory reform

The Democrat, who will likely head the Financial Services Committee, has signaled she'll make expanded housing opportunities for lower-income consumers a top priority.

A motion to limit debate on the nominee to run the consumer bureau passed along strictly party lines, setting the stage for her to be confirmed as early as next week.

Kathy Kraninger, who may get a confirmation vote as early as this week, has suggested a similar vision to that of the agency’s current acting chief. But some see signs she could bring a different approach to the job.

The effort to raise the threshold for transactions excused from appraisal requirements responds to concerns that the current threshold is outpaced by real estate prices.

The Trump administration should consider putting much of the subsidized mortgage lending done by the federal government under the government-sponsored enterprises to improve efficiency and transparency.

The end of one-party rule in Washington could move the needle on efforts to devise a new housing finance framework.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell filed a motion for cloture on the nomination of Kathy Kraninger to run the agency, setting up a potential vote later this month.

Ginnie Mae officials are concerned about unusual activity with Department of Veterans Affairs cash-out refinances and are investigating the causes, as well as whether predatory lenders are taking advantage of veterans.

Regulators typically write rules before applying them. But the CFPB is attempting the reverse.

The revised blueprint by Moelis & Co. LLC incorporates a pending regulatory capital plan for the mortgage giants.

The midterm elections virtually eliminate the chance that progress will be made on financial services legislation.

The focus since the 2016 election on easing rules, tax cuts and expanding access to credit is about to be turned on its head.

Several Senate, House and gubernatorial battles are of interest to financial firms. Here is a spotlight on specific contests, with updates as they become available.

The federal agencies said in a recent statement that “guidance does not have the force and effect of law,” but two trade groups say that standard should be more binding.

The battle gaining the most attention Tuesday night will be which party controls the House next year. But other key races will help determine the makeup of the Senate Banking Committee.

The housing finance agency, which is increasingly at the forefront of reform discussions, has been without a permanent chief for almost two years.

Protecting consumers from intrusive cold calls and fax-spamming is having adverse effects on the mortgage industry as the Federal Communications Commission fails to reasonably interpret language under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Donald Layton, who has run the mortgage giant since 2012, discussed the busy agenda leading up to his departure and says Freddie can serve as a "technical adviser" in GSE reform talks.

Questions surrounding Eric Blankenstein, a senior CFPB official whose racially charged writings from over a decade ago have led to calls for his resignation, have been referred to the agency's watchdog.

The departing CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac oversaw significant cultural and operational shifts that made the housing finance system safer and more responsive to market needs, but a tough job lies ahead for their successors.