InfoBytes Blog
Senate Banking Committee agenda released
On January 29, the Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Mike Crapo (R-ID), outlined his upcoming committee agenda, which prioritized housing finance. Specifically, Crapo stated “housing finance reform is the last piece of unaddressed business from the financial crisis,” emphasizing that the continued conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be addressed with bipartisan legislation to establish better taxpayer protection and increase competition among mortgage guarantors. Crapo also highlighted, among other things, potential legislative needs for (i) capital markets, specifically legislation that would encourage capital formation and reduce burdens for smaller businesses; (ii) data breaches and solutions to provide consumers greater control over their financial data; (iii) credit bureau reform to make it easier for consumers to interface with credit bureaus generally and dispute inaccuracies; and (iv) improvements in the regulatory landscape covering fintech innovation. Crapo also acknowledged the upcoming expiration of the National Flood Insurance Program in May, noting that the program was extended ten times last Congress, and any significant reforms need to balance taxpayer interest with the assistance of consumers.
The Committee will continue to provide ongoing oversight over the federal financial regulatory agencies, including whether the regulations, guidance and supervisory expectations are consistent with the intent of the sponsors of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act. Additionally, the Committee will (i) continue its review of the “benefits of agencies that have a bipartisan commission, rather than a single director; a Congressional funding mechanism; and a safety and soundness focus,” and (ii) conduct oversight into financial companies’ actions with regard to access to credit, including whether companies withhold access to customers and industries they disfavor.