Trump administration

The Trump appointee officially took over for Mick Mulvaney as head of the agency following her Senate confirmation last week.

The administration’s reported interest in having the White House aide run Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's regulator signals a focus on constraining the mortgage giants’ role in the housing market.

Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee are expected to shine a spotlight on Trump-appointed regulators, but that light might shine brightest on one agency in particular.

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.

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.

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

The presumptive chair of the House Financial Services Committee will likely take the panel in a sharply new direction and have a new bully pulpit to criticize the Trump administration.

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

Former Chair Janet Yellen defended the Fed, expressed worry for the economy and gave advice to women on the rise at the MBA Annual Convention this week.

Senate Democrats on Wednesday called for acting CFPB Director Mick Mulvaney to reveal the vetting process that led to the hiring of a political appointee whose past incendiary writings have caused an uproar at the agency.

The senior Democratic lawmaker said the CFPB chief and the Trump administration "are doing everything in their power to roll back consumer protections."

The head of the National Treasury Employees Union said the appointment of Eric Blankenstein to a senior role “reflects poorly on CFPB management.”

Eric Blankenstein, a political appointee overseeing fair-lending policy at the agency, said in an email to staff that his blog posts from 14 years ago that used a racial epithet “reflected poor judgment.”

What started as a single senior official at the CFPB voicing concerns about blog posts written 14 years ago by Eric Blankenstein, a top agency political appointee, is rapidly becoming a rising chorus of discontent.

At least six Trump administration picks to fill financial posts are still pending, but the bitterly partisan divide over Judge Brett Kavanaugh has taken up most of the energy in Congress.

Another regulator has already gone out on its own with an advance notice of proposed rulemaking. But, Powell said, "It’s a process and we’re very much interested in pushing forward.”

As the House Financial Services Committee prepares to hold a hearing Thursday on oversight of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the exact focus of the hearing remains somewhat in flux.

The agency’s director has been under pressure to quit as he is investigated for sexual harassment allegations, but an agency spokesperson says he still plans to testify at a housing finance hearing slated for later this month.

Kathy Kraninger has been tight-lipped about her plans for the consumer bureau, but some point to signs that she could curb the agency's power by reducing staff and other costs.