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 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 Banking Sets Its Sights Overseas In the coming weeks, the Senate Banking Committee will turn its focus to a number of international-related financial services issues. First, on Tuesday, May 10, the Committee will hold a hearing to evaluate the financial risks of China. Additionally, toward the end of the month, the Committee … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Congressional Republicans Place DOL’s Fiduciary Rule in Crosshairs Last week, on April 19, just one day after Senate Republicans introduced a resolution to disapprove and nullify the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Fiduciary Rule, House Republicans introduced a companion resolution also targeting the rulemaking. Two days later, on April 21, the House Education and … 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 Financial Services Committee Sets Its Sights on the CFPB This week, on Wednesday, March 16, the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing for Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Richard Cordray to provide his Semi-Annual Report to Congress. Among a myriad of topics likely to be raised during the hearing, much … 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 House Committees Mark-Up Fiduciary Rule Legislation as Senators Introduce Companion Bills With the Department of Labor (DOL) having recently submitted its Fiduciary Rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – officially beginning the countdown before DOL’s proposal is released in final form – last week, the House Ways and Means and … 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 Senate Panel to Consider Changes to Investment Visa Program This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing to consider changes to the EB-5 Regional Center Program. This program is designed to bolster the U.S. economy by incentivizing investment by foreign individuals. So-called “regional centers” pool EB-5 funds for investment in projects. In … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate to Consider “Audit the Fed” Legislation as House Takes Up Another Bill on Terrorism Financing This week, Congress is set to take up two financial services bills. First, on Tuesday, January 12, following continued concern regarding the need for improved congressional oversight of the Federal Reserve, the Senate will take up S. … 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 Housing Policy in Spotlight as HUD Turns 50 This week the House Financial Services Committee will focus the majority of its attention on housing policy, as part of a look at the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) fifty-year anniversary. Financial services lawmakers will hold two hearings: one looking at the role … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Regulators to Testify on Capitol Hill This week, Janet Yellen, Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, will appear before the House Financial Services and Senate Banking Committees to provide the Board’s semiannual monetary policy report to Congress. The House Financial Services Committee will also hold an additional hearing to … 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 Lawmakers to Focus on Export-Import Bank Reauthorization This week, the Senate Banking and House Financial Services Committees will hold hearings to discuss the Export-Import Bank – the agency that finances the export of American goods and services. The hearings will include several of the same witnesses, including the Honorable Fred P. Hochberg, President … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Banking Committee Set to Mark-Up Legislative Package of Financial Regulatory Reform As we highlighted last week, this Thursday, May 21, the Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to hold a markup of Chairman Richard Shelby’s (R-AL) highly-anticipated legislative package of financial regulatory reform. Chairman Shelby last week released a draft of his legislation, which … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Financial Services Committee to Consider Legislative Proposals as Banking Committee Prepares for Delayed Markup The Senate Banking Committee has rescheduled its markup of legislation to reform aspects of the financial services industry for May 21. While exactly what will be contained in the final legislation is unclear – and subject to change – … 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 Federal Reserve Remains Under Scrutiny This week, Congress will continue its focus on examining potential reforms to the Federal Reserve. Last week, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen testified before Congress, which included discussion regarding recently introduced legislation to audit the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision-making. This week, the scrutiny will continue as the … Continue Reading
