Law and regulation

WASHINGTON — Sens. Thomas Carper, D-Del., and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, introduced a bill this week that would establish national data security and notification standards.

FHFA's reduction appears likely to involve loan level price adjustments that the two government-sponsored enterprises charge borrowers and adverse market fees charged on every loan, but not a guarantee fee reduction that the industry has sought.

Despite a strong industry push, a bill to amend the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's "qualified mortgage" rule is facing an uphill battle to enactment this year.

Mortgage lenders are stressed about how the CFPB's new mortgage disclosure rule will impact their business. But the new forms may give them a chance to improve business performance.

First Republic Bank reported higher quarterly profit, though loan growth pushed the San Francisco company above $50 billion in assets.

Some industry observers argue that bank consolidation is driven by economies of scale rather than by the regulatory burdens imposed under Dodd-Frank. But the two factors actually go hand in hand.

The House approved eight regulatory relief bills Tuesday evening, including two controversial measures opposed by a number of Democratic lawmakers and the White House.

WASHINGTON — The Senate Banking Committee announced Wednesday that it has scheduled a vote for highly anticipated regulatory relief legislation on May 14.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a final interpretive rule Wednesday that clarifies its housing counseling requirements with respect to high-cost loans.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren isn't running for president, but her financial reform proposals are designed to help shape the 2016 race, including Hillary Clinton's positions.

Banking conditions continue to improve in most regions around the country, despite some negative economic circumstances in other sectors, according to a Federal Reserve Board report released Wednesday.

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, who sits on Lending Club's board, said in a speech Wednesday that such technology-focused marketplace lenders should be given a fair chance to compete.

Hudson City Bancorp faces a U.S. government investigation into discriminatory lending practices, according to two people familiar with the matter, posing a potential new hurdle in the bank's long-delayed sale to M&T Bank Corp.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivered a sweeping speech Wednesday aimed at what she's calling "the unfinished business of financial reform."

FDIC Vice Chairman Tom Hoenig outlined a new measure to grant reg relief, one based on activity rather than size. While his vision would grant 94% of banks substantial relief, he objected, however, to exempting institutions from the Volcker Rule.

Three former executives of Freddie Mac have settled charges that they lied about the government-sponsored enterprise's exposure to subprime mortgages before the market collapsed.

More than 70 banks are set to hit their seventh anniversary this year, crossing a threshold where they will have reduced regulatory scrutiny and relaxed capital ratios. While many are excited about the potential to growth, they are aiming to do so carefully.

Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Dean Heller, R-Nev., introduced a bill Tuesday that would require the National Credit Union Administration to hold public hearings and receive comments on its annual operating budget.

Still reeling from underwriting guidelines that went into effect last year, some small lenders are worried that a new mortgage disclosure regime might be the thing that pushes them over the edge.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the owner of several tax-preparation outlets that allegedly steered low-income clients into expensive loans against their anticipated refunds.