Politics

After years of discussion among regulators, the Federal Reserve Board has approved changes to its CRA rules that will base compliance exams on where lending occurs rather than branch locations. The updates — set to take effect in January 2026 — also emphasize lending in lower-income areas as well as community development loans and investments.

Regulators will now accept feedback until Jan 16, 2024 — a six-week extension — concurrent with a Federal Reserve effort to gather additional information about the potential implications of the proposed capital changes.

The Federal Reserve vice chair for supervision says the failure of Silicon Valley Bank showed the shortcomings of the current stress testing regime.

At a Senate Banking subcommittee meeting, Republican and Democratic lawmakers both promoted the mission of community development financial institutions and warned of upcoming threats to their funding and proposals to revamp the CDFI certification process.

Federal Reserve Gov. Michelle Bowman shared some of her more pointed skepticisms about potential capital changes in a speech Wednesday, saying enhanced requirements could increase systemic risk.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. issued a proposal requiring larger banks to implement a three-line-of-defense risk management model and increased board independence in response to observed weaknesses in corporate governance during past financial crises and recent bank failures.

The Federal Reserve's top regulator cited the financial crisis of 2008 repeatedly in a speech about the merits of new risk-capital standards — proposals that have drawn unprecedented fire from banking trade groups and members of Congress.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau plans to hire 75 employees in its enforcement division as it boosts investigations against "large market actors," according to an internal email obtained by American Banker.

The bipartisan deal struck Saturday temporarily allays concerns that would've required workarounds in parts of the lending process reliant on government agencies.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Martin Gruenberg said despite earlier proposals for reforming deposit insurance following this spring's bank failures, congressional interest in major reforms has waned and prospects for legislative changes are dim.

Public policy experts debated the effect of rising rates on the mortgage market, the impact on homebuyers and ways that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could exit conservatorship at the National Mortgage News Digital Mortgage Conference.

A combination of economic and environmental factors are sending property and flood coverage premiums soaring, which can make costs insurmountable for some.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Board's Vice Chair Travis Hill urged his fellow regulators Thursday to delay implementing new banking regulations until interest rates stabilize, saying rushed rules amid precarious economic conditions could impact consumer lending.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said today's high mortgage rates are dissuading some would-be sellers from putting their homes on the market, further limiting lending opportunities in an environment already constrained by low inventory

Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy, continued to say that the Basel III rulemaking might have violated the Administrative Procedures Act

The impact on things like servicing rights would raise costs even for lenders that aren't banks, according to Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO Bob Broeksmit. Others disagree.

A joint letter from the banking and financial trade groups is the latest effort by the industry and its representatives in Washington to push back against the Basel III capital proposals, which would raise capital significantly for the largest banks.

The World Bank director and former top Labor Department economist will become the first Fed governor of Hispanic descent and will give the board a full compliment of members since former vice chair Lael Brainard resigned in February.

Philip Jefferson was the Biden administration's pick for the Fed's number two position following the departure of Lael Brainard earlier this year. Two more Fed nominees are expected to get confirmation votes this week.

Banks have offered a more tepid critique of regulatory proposals to expand resolution planning and long-term debt for regional banks, suggesting the industry is intent on curbing July's Basel III capital proposal instead.