Reader Posts

« previous | TPM CAFÉ READER POSTS HOME | next »

McCain lying about "his" bill to "regulate" Fannie and Freddie

avatar

Here is the full text of the bill.
Or if you don't feel like reading 30 odd pages of legalese, here is a summary:

Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 to establish: (1) in lieu of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an independent Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Agency which shall have authority over the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac); and (2) the Federal Housing Enterprise Board.
Sets forth operating, administrative, and regulatory provisions of the Agency, including provisions respecting: (1) assessment authority; (2) authority to limit nonmission-related assets; (3) minimum and critical capital levels; (4) risk-based capital test; (5) capital classifications and undercapitalized enterprises; (6) enforcement actions and penalties; (7) golden parachutes; and (8) reporting.
Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to establish the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance Corporation. Transfers the functions of the Office of Finance of the Federal Home Loan Banks to such Corporation.
Excludes the Federal Home Loan Banks from certain securities reporting requirements.
Abolishes the Federal Housing Finance Board.

Some nuggets from the bill's guts:
McCain had no part in constructing this bill, it was created by Chuck Hagel, Elizabeth Dole and John Sununu.  McCain tacked his name on at the last minute as a co-sponsor.
This bill would have actually replaced the existing Dept. of Housing and Urban Development with the "Federal Housing Enterprize Regulatory Agency", which would be appointed directly by President Bush, which would actually remove any semblance of independent, nonpoliticized action that the HUD had left, and created a "Mortgage Czar".  This guy would have a 6 year term, cancellable of course at the pleasure of the President.
This bill would not have solved the issue of "bundling", all it would have done is make it more difficult for someone to get a mortgage.  Subprime or not, the Mortgage Czar would have unlimited authority to define "unacceptable risk".
Several statutes are also "worse than the disease".
Contrary to what McCain is saying, it was not voted down "by the Democrats", it never made it out of its senate committee, the "Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs" ordered the bill to be reported with an amendment, but were generally favorable to the bill.  These amendments (to the "worse than the disease" aspects) were never amended and the bill died.


Comments (2)

avatar

Oh and before you ask, in 2005 (when this bill was put before the committee) not only was the Senate a Republican majority but so was the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and it was chaired by Richard Shelby (R-AL).

So this is one more Republican disaster.

avatar

One thing I forgot to mention as well.

This bill would have also actually deregulated reporting on the SECURITIES, which is what caused the housing market to actually implode (the sale of bundled securities to market bonds).

This, if anything would have actually made the subprime mortgage crisis worse.

Post a Comment

Advertisement
Please disable your adblocker!
Ads are how we pay the bills!

Subscribe

The Coffee House
TPMCafe's regulars

House Brew
From Your Cafe Editor

Special Guests
Big names and big brains

Special Features
Pressing topics and trends

Table for One
An expert's week-long talk.

All Reader Posts
TPM readers discuss.

Advertise Liberally
Share
Close Social Web Email

"To" Email Address

Your Name

Your Email Address