Stacy Kaper

Facing long odds, the Banking Committee Chairman builds support for a plan to create a prudential regulator. But would a single agency kill the dual banking system?

The House and Senate approved a measure late Thursday that would let the government-sponsored enterprises buy or guarantee larger loans for one more year.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee tentatively plans to vote today on a bill to create a new consumer financial protection agency.

The House Financial Services Committee approved legislation Wednesday to reform credit rating agencies. The bill, which passed the committee by a vote of 49 to 14, would aim to improve accountability at the agencies, which have been criticized for their high ratings of mortgage-backed securities leading up to the financial crisis.

The House Financial Services Committee began debate Tuesday on three bills by Rep. Paul Kanjorski, the capital markets subcommittee chairman, to improve investor protections, reform the credit rating agencies and increase transparency of hedge funds and other private pools of capital.

Dodd's new bill appears aimed at pressuring banks to comply with the sweeping credit card law enacted in May.

Last week's vote by the House Financial Services Committee to create a consumer protection agency would centralize expansive power in the hands of its new director.

This week's vote by the House Financial Services Committee to create a consumer protection agency would centralize expansive power in the hands of its new director.

IMGCAP(1)]

The House Financial Services Committee approved a bill by voice vote Thursday that would speed up enactment of recent credit card reforms that ban double-cycle billing and universal default and limits fees.

WASHINGTON — The House Financial Services Committee voted 39 to 29 on Thursday to approve a bill that would create a consumer financial protection agency, clearing the first hurdle to enacting a key priority in the Obama administration's regulatory reform plan.

The House Financial Services Committee voted 39 to 29 on Thursday to approve a bill that would create a new consumer financial protection agency, clearing the first hurdle to enacting a key priority in the Obama administration's regulatory reform plan.

WASHINGTON — Members of the House Financial Services Committee continued to wrestle Wednesday over how much power to entrust to a proposed consumer protection agency, adopting an amendment during the fourth day of debate that would partially restore national bank preemption.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd endorsed extending and expanding a first-time homebuyer tax credit that was included in the economic stimulus package but is due to expire next month.

Lawmakers launched a much-anticipated debate Tuesday over how much leeway national banks and federal thrifts should have to preempt state consumer protection standards, but no resolution appeared in sight.

The Independent Community Bankers of America and the American Bankers Association teamed up Tuesday to oppose the consolidation of bank regulatory agencies.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd introduced sweeping legislation Monday to curb overdraft fees that would require banks to let their customers opt in for the service and place substantial restrictions on the cost and frequency of charges for such protection.

Things get heavy over the debate to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency; taking exception to exemptions; Barney Frank doing what he can to lighten the mood.

WASHINGTON — Community banks would be exempt from enforcement by a new consumer financial protection agency under an amendment approved Thursday by the House Financial Services Committee. Still, industry lobbyists continued to press the panel to weaken a separate provision that would force national banks to comply with state consumer laws.

The House Financial Services Committee is expected to pass an amendment this week that would exempt community banks from enforcement by a proposed new consumer ...