Regulatory reform

As the regulatory agencies have struggled to reach a consensus, a proposal championed by Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has divided lawmakers and been assailed by community groups.

Despite changes by the Federal Housing Administration, bankers remain reluctant to join the program for fear of legal liability. But that could change if it revamps servicing processes, experts say.

Todd Zywicki, a law professor who has sharply criticized the CFPB as an unaccountable bureaucracy, has been named chair of an agency task force identifying potential conflicts and inconsistencies in consumer finance law.

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mark Calabria discussed the possibility of having Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac operate under a consent order to allow the government-sponsored enterprises to be able to raise capital.

Policymaking has moved at an agonizingly slow speed compared with the exponential growth of technology, leaving regulators and lawmakers facing a huge task over how to keep up. 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has proposed an overhaul of an Obama-era rule meant to guide local jurisdictions in how they comply with the Fair Housing Act.

House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters announced she will hold two hearings in January to examine a proposal to overhaul the Community Reinvestment Act.

The FHFA’s attempt to move some of its balance sheet into the private sector could leave investors with greater liabilities than they were initially told.

The window to change beneficial-ownership rules or pass other measures will be narrow, but some legislative efforts from 2019 will carry over and House Democrats will resume inquiries of certain industry CEOs and Trump-appointed regulators.

The three federal agencies announced slight adjustments in the cutoffs for "small" and "intermediate small" institutions for the purposes of Community Reinvestment Act exams.

A risk-based capital rule for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is expected to top the agenda in 2020 as the companies’ regulator executes plans for their release into the private sector.

With adjustments to the post-crisis regulatory framework now complete, the Federal Reserve may begin the decade year with a focus on supervisory and examination processes.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau faces a busy policy agenda heading into the new year, as well as strong external forces that are beyond its control.

The two agencies have delayed the deadline for the public to respond to a request for information on the rating system used to score banks' overall health.

Impeachment continues to dominate Congress, but legislation the industry seeks is still pending and the bank regulators have a full agenda. Here are the figures who will drive the policy debate.

After Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo poured cold water on legislation enabling banks and credit unions to serve the marijuana industry, several key supporters of the effort are pushing back.

The Senate Banking Committee chairman said he opposed a House bill that would give financial institutions legal cover to serve cannabis businesses.

The lawmakers say they need more information about the administration’s plans in order to conduct proper oversight.

Banks and public advocacy groups agree that the Community Reinvestment Act needs to change. But is the latest proposal moving in the right direction?

Despite assurances by Director Kathy Kraninger that the agency is cracking down on discrimination, it hasn't filed an enforcement action or sent a Department of Justice referral on a fair-lending violation in two years.