Joseph Otting

After 10 years of conservatorship, the new year could finally usher in big steps toward housing finance reform.

Jonathan Gould, the committee's chief counsel, has been hired by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency as senior deputy comptroller and chief counsel.

The process to confirm Mark Calabria as FHFA director could be lengthy, forcing the White House to consider how it will proceed with housing finance reform under Joseph Otting as acting head of the agency.

The White House said that Comptroller of the Currency Joseph Otting will serve as acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency beginning Jan. 6, after Director Mel Watt’s term ends.

More acquainted with the quick decision-making style of the banking world, the comptroller of the currency found a policymaking environment in D.C. that moves at a slower pace.

The agency's semiannual report on risks in the industry focused heavily on the high volume of commercial loans as well as banks' exposure to nonfinancial corporate debt, which is near a record share of GDP.

The federal regulator cited recent “cost savings” and promising projections for costs and revenue next year in announcing the reduction in assessments.

Jelena McWilliams is responding to concerns from Republican members of Congress that FDIC staffers are discouraging banks from doing business with certain industries.

In a speech in Japan, the comptroller of the currency urged overseas institutions to consider a “single regulatory framework” instead of applying to multiple states.

While they won’t be in position to enact legislation, House Democrats could use their newfound power to spotlight issues that Republicans have largely ignored, including the exploding levels of corporate debt.