This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases. POTUS’ Schedule* 9:30 a.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Brief | The White House 8:00 p.m. EDT – THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route Wilmington, Delaware 8:55 p.m. EDT – … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Banking to Host Secretary Mnuchin, Focus on Treasury This week, the Senate Banking Committee will consider the nominations of several individuals to fill key posts within the Treasury and Commerce Departments (see below for additional details). The Committee will also host Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to discuss an array of domestic and … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Financial Services Committee Chooses CHOICE Act as President Trump Signs Financial Services Executive Orders After a two-week recess, the House Financial Services Committee is wasting no time getting back to work as it plans to hold a hearing on the Financial CHOICE Act this Wednesday. The bill, an acronym standing for Creating … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Is Dodd-Frank on the Chopping Block Next Congress? With President-Elect Donald Trump in the White House and Republicans in control of both the House and Senate, we believe there is a real possibility for a significant overhaul of financial services regulation in the 115th Congress – especially if future Chairman of the Senate … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Banking Takes on Terrorism Financing Taking the lead from the House Financial Services Committee, which held a hearing earlier this month to exam the terrorism financing implications of the “ransom payments” to Iran, the Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing this Wednesday on the matter. Outside of the more recent focus … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Hensarling Chooses to Move Forward with CHOICE Act Last Friday, September 9, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) announced his intention to move forward with the Republican plan to replace the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) and formally introduced the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Investors, Consumers … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers Press on with Financial Services Reform Efforts On June 23, 2016, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) unveiled a discussion draft of legislation aimed at replacing the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank). The legislation, Creating Hope and Opportunity for Investors, Consumers and Entrepreneurs (Financial CHOICE Act), … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House to Vote on Financial Services Appropriations Bill as Hensarling Pushes Plan to Replace Dodd-Frank This week, the House is expected to consider the FY 2017 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, which passed out of Committee largely along partisan lines and contains various provisions that would peel back certain aspects of … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Hensarling to Release Plan to Replace Dodd-Frank House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) is set to unveil details about the Republican plan to replace the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) with a “pro-growth” alternative during a speech to the Economic Club of New York on Tuesday, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Agriculture Committee Votes to Reauthorize CFTC Following a Senate Appropriations hearing last week to review the FY17 Budget Requests for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), on Thursday, April 14, the Senate Agriculture Committee voted 11-9, to reauthorize the CFTC. Though the timing of Senate … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Lawmakers to Mark-Up, Vote Various Financial Services Bills This week, on Wednesday, April 13, the House Financial Services Committee is set to mark-up various bills that would significantly alter the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), including legislation that would repeal the government’s orderly liquidation authority, as well … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers Still Divided on Labor’s Fiduciary Rule With the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Fiduciary Rule now with the Office of Management and Budget and being prepared for release in final form later this spring, last week Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) emphasized his opposition to the proposal, noting that he is … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Financial Services Committee Sets Agenda for the Year Ahead As Senate Banking Committee Largely Silent Following the recent House Financial Services Committee retreat, we expect financial services lawmakers – at least in the House – to begin moving forward with their 2016 policy agenda. Among their priorities for this year (many of … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congress Turns Focus to Puerto Rico Debt Crisis This week, House lawmakers are set to hold a hearing on Puerto Rico’s debt crisis, which is likely to kick off several weeks’ worth of debate on the matter. Importantly, in accordance with House leadership, lawmakers are expected to move legislation addressing the Commonwealth’s fiscal … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Financial Services Lawmakers to Focus on FSOC, Hold Markup This week, the House Financial Services Committee will hold an oversight hearing on the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). Notably, eight of the ten voting members will be present to testify. This hearing follows continued discussion about potential reforms to the agency, which many … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Lawmakers to Mark-Up FSOC-Related Bills On Tuesday, November 3, the House Financial Services Committee will hold a mark-up of various bills, including legislation targeting the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). Specifically, lawmakers will consider legislation to: (1) bring the FSOC within the normal appropriations process; (2) make Council meetings more open and … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Banking Committee Likely to Let Export-Import Bank Lapse, Timing Unclear for Regulatory Relief Last week, Senate Banking Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) noted that he does not “see any crying-out need for a markup” of legislation to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, making clear that he has no plans to markup the legislation that … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Banking Committee Schedules Markup on Regulatory Relief for Community and Regional Banks Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) has announced that the Committee will hold a markup on May 14 to consider proposals that would provide regulatory relief to community and regional banks. Despite earlier concerns to the contrary, it appears that Chairman Shelby … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers to Consider Oversight of Several Agencies This week, both the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking Committee are slated to hold several hearings focused on oversight efforts of several agencies. The Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing to review accountability of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) as relates … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers Discuss FSOC Oversight On Wednesday, September 17, the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing titled “Oversight of the Financial Stability Oversight Council.” During the hearing, Members emphasized the importance of transparency within the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and called for increased due process and accountability. At … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House To Vote On CFTC Reauthorization Bill This week, the House is expected to debate and vote on the reauthorization of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) through September 2018 (H.R. 4413). Additionally, while the Senate Agriculture Committee has yet to unveil its CFTC reauthorization bill, the level of bipartisan support that H.R. 4413 receives … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Confirms Three CFTC Commissioners, House To Take Up CFTC Reauthorization Bill On June 3, the Senate confirmed Timothy Massad as Chairman and Sharon Bowen and J. Christopher Giancarlo as Commissioners at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Chairman Massad was sworn in to his new office on June 5. It is expected … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Banking Committee Favorably Reports GSE Reform Bill to Senate Floor On May 15, the Senate Banking Committee voted 13-9 to favorably report the Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2013 (S. 1217), to the Senate floor. However, as mentioned in previous coverage, despite being reported out of Committee, it remains uncertain … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Banking Committee Likely to Markup GSE Reform Bill It appears as if the Senate Banking Committee is likely to hold a markup of legislation to reform the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), the “Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2013” (S. 1217), this week; however, given the fluid nature of the situation, the … Continue Reading