
Order Code RL32795
Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs):
Reform Legislation in the 109th Congress
Updated January 16, 2007
Mark Jickling
Specialist in Public Finance
Government and Finance Division
Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs):
Reform Legislation in the 109th Congress
Summary
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs),
chartered by Congress to establish a secondary mortgage market to improve the
availability of capital for home mortgage financing. To help these privately-owned
institutions accomplish this mission, Congress granted them several statutory benefits
not available to other private companies. The advantages of GSE status have helped
the enterprises to grow very large and dominate the secondary mortgage market.
In 1992, Congress established the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise
Oversight (OFHEO), an agency within the Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), to oversee the financial safety and soundness of the enterprises.
OFHEO is authorized to set capital requirements, conduct annual risk-based
examinations, and generally enforce compliance with safety and soundness standards.
With the rapid growth of the GSEs, and major accounting scandals at Fannie
Mae and Freddie Mac, the effectiveness of the current regulatory regime has been
widely questioned. Several legislative proposals considered in the 108th and earlier
Congresses addressed GSE regulatory reform, but none was enacted. However,
adequacy of GSE regulation remains a prominent legislative issue.
While improving supervision of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is the major
focus, regulatory reform also involves the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks, which
comprise one collective GSE. The Federal Home Loan Banks lend to lenders —
their member banks — primarily for housing, but also for many other purposes.
Under the proposed GSE reform, they would be brought under a single regulatory
umbrella with Fannie and Freddie.
In the 109th Congress, H.R. 1461 and S. 190 proposed to restructure the GSE
supervisor and enhance its regulatory powers. H.R. 1461 was marked up and
reported by the Financial Services Committee on May 25, 2005, and passed the full
House, with amendments, on October 26, 2005. Chairman Shelby put forward an
amendment in the nature of a substitute for S. 190, which was marked up and
approved by the Banking Committee on July 28, 2005. Neither bill was finally
enacted.
Common provisions of S. 190 and H.R. 1461 would abolish OFHEO and
establish an independent agency to oversee the housing GSEs and the Federal Home
Loan Banks; enhance the safety and soundness, disclosure, and enforcement tools
available to the new regulator; and increase the budget autonomy of the new agency
by exempting its assessments from the annual appropriations process. S. 190 as
reported takes the further step of limiting the type of assets that Fannie and Freddie
could hold in their investment portfolios.
This report summarizes legislative proposals in the 109th Congress that aimed
to strengthen the regulation of the GSEs, and it will no longer be updated.
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Major Differences Between House and Senate Bills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Affordable Housing Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Conforming Loan Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Portfolio Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Subtitle A: Improvement of Safety and Soundness Regulation . . . . . . . 7
Subtitle B: Improvement of Mission Supervision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Subtitle C: Prompt Corrective Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Subtitle D: Enforcement Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Title II: Federal Home Loan Bank Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Transition Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
List of Tables
Table 1. Provisions of GSE Reform Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The author gratefully acknowledges the work of Loretta Nott, whose CRS
Report RL32069,
Improving the Effectiveness of GSE Oversight: Legislative
Proposals in the 108th Congress, provides the basis for the introductory
material in this report.
Government Sponsored Enterprises:
Reform Legislation in the 109th Congress
Introduction
Government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) are privately owned, congressionally
chartered financial institutions created for specific public policy purposes. They
benefit from certain exemptions and privileges, including an implied federal
guarantee,1 intended to enhance their ability to borrow money. Two of the largest
GSEs are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (herein referred to as the enterprises or
GSEs).2 These institutions were created by Congress to establish and maintain a
secondary mortgage market, increasing liquidity and improving the distribution of
capital available for home mortgage financing.3 To help these institutions
accomplish this mission, Congress has provided them with several benefits not
available to other financial institutions.4 These statutory benefits provide the
enterprises with lower funding costs, the ability to operate with less capital, and
lower direct costs.5 The advantages of GSE status have enabled the enterprises to
grow rapidly and become dominant players in the secondary mortgage market.
1 Although GSE bonds are not explicitly backed by the full faith and credit of the
government, market participants behave as if they were, believing that the Treasury will
never permit a GSE to default. This implicit guarantee allows the GSEs to borrow at lower
rates than private financial institutions, and to take on greater financial risk without a
corresponding drop in their credit ratings.
2 The other GSEs are the Federal Home Loan Bank System, the Farm Credit System, and
Farmer Mac. Sallie Mae, a former GSE, has been fully privatized.
3 For a detailed description of the development of the U.S. secondary mortgage market, see
Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight,
Report to Congress, June 2003, at
[http://www.ofheo.gov/media/pdf/WEBsiteOFHEOREPtoCongress03.pdf].
4 These statutory benefits include (1) exemption from state and local taxes, (2) a line of
credit with the U.S. Treasury up to $2.25 billion, (3) eligibility of their debt to serve as
collateral for public deposits, (4) eligibility of their securities for Federal Reserve open
market purchases, (5) eligibility for their corporate securities to be purchased without limit
by federally regulated financial institutions, (6) assignment of mortgage-related securities
they have issued or guaranteed to the second-lowest credit risk category at depository
institutions, and (7) exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
5 For more information on these advantages, see the following reports: U.S. Department of
the Treasury,
Government Sponsorship of the Federal National Mortgage Association and
the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, July 11, 1996; U.S. Congressional Budget
Office,
Assessing the Public Costs and Benefits of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, May 1996;
and U.S. Congressional Budget Office,
Federal Subsidies and the Housing GSEs, May
2001.
CRS-2
Congress has always been concerned that the safety and soundness of the
enterprises be maintained so that they can meet their public policy mission and not
pose risks to taxpayers. Prior to 1992, oversight was the responsibility of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Home Loan
Bank Board. In 1992, Congress established the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise
Oversight (OFHEO), an independent agency within HUD, to oversee the financial
safety and soundness of the enterprises. The office is authorized to set capital
requirements, conduct annual risk-based examinations, and generally enforce
compliance with safety and soundness standards.
After the creation of OFHEO, total assets at the GSEs grew by more than 820%
to $1.9 trillion at the end of 2003.6 The GSEs have become two of the largest private
debt issuers in the world. In 2003, outstanding debt securities of the enterprises
totaled $1.7 trillion — an amount equal to nearly half of all publicly held U.S.
Treasury debt. In addition to enterprise debt, investors hold about $1.6 trillion in
mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.7
As a result of the rapid growth of these institutions and their implied federal
backing, there has been an increasing concern that the enterprises may pose a
problem of systemic risk to the financial system.8 Many financial institutions around
the world hold large quantities of GSE debt and default by either GSE could have
widespread, unpredictable, and potentially serious repercussions. Accordingly,
questions have been raised about the effectiveness of the current regulatory
environment.
Events of the past two years have brought a new urgency to the GSE reform
issue. In 2003, Freddie Mac admitted that it had used improper accounting policies
to create the appearance of steady earnings growth and issued a restatement of
financial results, revising net income for 2000-2002 upwards by $5 billion.9 OFHEO
6 Based on 2003 annual reports, which — because of the accounting scandals — is the latest
year for which annual financial statements are available for both GSEs. At the end of 2006,
both enterprises had reached agreements with OFHEO to either freeze the size of their
investment portfolios (Fannie) or limit growth to 2% per year (Freddie).
7 For more information, see Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight,
FY2003-2008
Strategic Plan, Sept. 30, 2003, at [http://www.ofheo.gov/media/pdf/0308stratplan93003a.
pdf].
8 For a comprehensive analysis of these risks, see Office of Federal Housing Enterprise
Oversight,
Systemic Risk: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Role of OFHEO, Feb. 2003,
at [http://www.ofheo.gov/media/archive/docs/reports/sysrisk.pdf]. Furthermore, the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stated that the GSE “regulators need to look closely
at whether agencies’ capital adequacy is sufficient, especially bearing in mind the questions
about internal controls that have emerged in Freddie Mac.... [I]t is unclear whether [the
GSEs] have taken sufficient account of the risk that the market may not be deep enough to
allow them to continuously hedge their growing portfolios in times of stress.” For more
information, see IMF,
Global Financial Stability Report: Market Developments and Issues,
Sept. 2003, pp. 16-22, at [http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/gfsr/2003/02/index.htm].
9 For more information, see CRS Report RS21567,
Accounting and Management Problems
(continued...)
CRS-3
imposed a $125 million fine and is pursuing civil actions against several former
Freddie executives.
Following the special examination of Freddie Mac, OFHEO began to review the
accounting policies and practices at Fannie Mae, and published its preliminary
findings in September 2004.10 OFHEO charged that Fannie Mae did not follow
generally accepted accounting practices in two critical areas: (1) amortization of
discounts, premiums, and fees involved in the purchase of home mortgages and (2)
accounting for financial derivatives contracts. According to OFHEO, these
deviations from standard accounting rules allowed Fannie Mae to reduce volatility
in reported earnings, present investors with an artificial picture of steadily growing
profits, and, in at least one case, to meet financial performance targets that triggered
the payment of bonuses to company executives.11 On December 15, 2004, the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) essentially endorsed OFHEO’s report
and directed Fannie Mae to restate its accounting results since 2001 after finding
inadequacies in Fannie’s accounting policies and methodologies. Fannie Mae’s CEO
and CFO stepped down soon thereafter.
While problems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have provided the main
impetus for reform, the regulation of the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) may
also be affected by the GSE. The 12 FHLBs comprise one collective government-
sponsored enterprise. Originally chartered by Congress to provide liquidity to the
nation’s predominant lenders for home mortgage loans — savings and loan
associations and savings banks — the FHLBs have undergone a series of changes
over the years as financial institutions have changed. Still a lender to lenders
primarily for housing, the FHLBs can now lend for many other purposes as well, and
have special responsibilities for low- and moderate-income housing, for debts
incurred by the federal government in handling deposit insurance crises of the 1970s
and 1980s, and for some community development projects.
Several bills were considered in the 108th Congress that would have restructured
OFHEO. While the proposals took somewhat different approaches to regulatory
reform, all appeared to
! abolish OFHEO and reconstitute the GSE regulator within the
Department of the Treasury, or as an independent agency;12
9 (...continued)
at Freddie Mac, by Mark Jickling.
10 Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight,
Report of Findings to Date: Special
Examination of Fannie Mae, Sept. 17, 2004, available at [http://www.ofheo.gov/media/
pdf/FNMfindingstodate17sept04.pdf].
11 For a discussion of OFHEO’s findings, and its subsequent settlement with Fannie Mae,
see CRS Report RS21949,
Accounting Problems at Fannie Mae, by Mark Jickling.
12 In some versions, the new regulator was to have authority over the FHLBs, as well as
Fannie and Freddie.
CRS-4
! increase the budget autonomy of the new office by exempting its
assessments from the annual appropriations process; and
! enhance the safety and soundness and enforcement tools available
to the new regulator.
None of these bills, whose provisions are summarized in CRS Report RL32069,
Improving the Effectiveness of GSE Oversight: Legislative Proposals in the 108th
Congress, by Loretta Nott and Mark Jickling, were enacted.
Legislative proposals in the 109th Congress incorporated most of the features of
the 108th Congress bills, but also include significant new provisions, as discussed
below, and set out in
Table 1.
The Bush Administration has generally supported GSE regulatory reform.
Treasury Secretary John Snow issued a statement following the mark up of S. 190,
praising the legislation, though noting that certain elements the Administration
wanted were not present in the bill:
The legislation ... creates significantly enhanced market discipline and capital
requirements for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks.
The legislation strikes a proper and prudent balance in ensuring that the activities
undertaken by these entities do not engender systemic risk while providing broad
access to housing finance.13
Major Differences Between House and Senate Bills
The House and Senate bills take a common approach to the restructuring of the
GSE regulator. There is a general consensus that OFHEO needs to be strengthened
— given the importance of the GSEs to the financial system and the potential risks
they pose, there is very little support for keeping the GSE regulator inside HUD.
Both H.R. 1461 and S. 190 give the new agency tools and authorities that resemble
those of federal bank regulators. Where the bills differ most significantly is in their
approaches to the business operations of the GSEs, particularly Fannie and Freddie.
The House bill seeks to increase GSE support for low-income housing and would
permit Fannie and Freddie to buy larger mortgages than current law permits, while
the Senate bill seeks to shrink the companies’ portfolios by restricting the kinds of
assets they can purchase.
Affordable Housing Fund
Section 128 of H.R. 1461 (as passed the House) requires Fannie and Freddie to
establish affordable housing funds to increase homeownership among very low and
extremely low income families, to increase investment in housing in low income and
13 Statement of Secretary John W. Snow on Senate Banking Bill to Reform Housing
Government-Sponsored Enterprises, July 28, 2005 (js-2657), available online at
[http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/js2657.htm].
CRS-5
economically distressed areas, and to increase and preserve the supply of rental and
owner-occupied housing for very low and extremely low income families. Each
enterprise shall allocate to this fund 3.5% of its after-tax income during the first year
after enactment, and 5% in subsequent years. (Had the 5% rate been in effect during
the five years ending with 2003, the two firms’ combined contributions to these funds
would have averaged about $620 million per year.) The Senate bill contains no
comparable provision.
Proponents of the affordable housing funds recognize that Fannie and Freddie
receive a valuable subsidy in the form of their GSE status, which permits them to
borrow at lower rates than other private financial firms. The affordable housing fund
proposal can be viewed as a means of capturing some of the value of this subsidy and
applying it to a worthy policy objective.
Opponents argue that Fannie and Freddie would likely use the funds to reward
political allies. During floor consideration of H.R. 1461, an amendment was adopted
that prohibited the use of money disbursed by the affordable housing funds for
political, lobbying, or advocacy purposes. Other amendments included a five-year
sunset for the fund (with the Director of the new regulator to recommend to Congress
whether the fund should be extended) and established a priority for activities in areas
affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and in other areas designated by the
President as major disaster areas.
Conforming Loan Limits
Current law sets a limit on the size of mortgages that Fannie and Freddie can
buy. Mortgages above the limit, called jumbo loans, are less likely to be securitized
than the conforming mortgages that Fannie and Freddie are allowed to purchase.
Partly as a result, mortgage rates for nonconforming loans are slightly higher than
conforming loan rates.14 Critics of the conforming loan limit argue that the limit has
a disparate geographical effect: in some areas of the country the limit, which was
$417,000 for single-family homes (in 2006 and 2007), covers all but the high end of
the market, while in other areas, such as San Francisco or New York City, virtually
all real estate transactions take place over the limit.
H.R. 1461 would raise the conforming loan limit in metropolitan areas where
the median home price exceeds the current limit. In those areas, the limit would be
set at the median home price, up to a ceiling of 150% of the current limit. For more
information on this proposal, see CRS Report RS22172,
Proposed Changes to the
Conforming Loan Limit, by Barbara Miles and Mark Jickling.
Like the affordable housing fund provision, the proposal to raise the loan limit
in high-cost areas recognizes that GSE status confers a subsidy on Fannie and
Freddie, and seeks to attain a more uniform distribution of the benefits of that
subsidy. In the process, raising the limit increases the size of the subsidy: allowing
Fannie and Freddie to expand operations into the jumbo mortgage market enhances
14 The difference is in the range of 25-40 basis points, or hundredths of a percent. Some of
the difference might persist even if the loan limits were abolished.
CRS-6
the value of the GSEs’ funding advantage, which is dependent on their GSE status.
The Senate bill has no comparable provision.
Portfolio Limits
While the two House bill provisions discussed above seek to redistribute the
fruits of the GSE subsidy, the Senate bill contains a provision that could dramatically
reduce the value of that subsidy. Both Fannie and Freddie hold large portfolios of
mortgages and mortgage-backed securities, which generate interest income. They
pay for those mortgage assets by issuing debt securities at rates below what the
mortgages and mortgage-backed bonds pay. The difference between the yield on
mortgage-related assets and the GSEs’ cost of funds is profit. Thus, the GSEs have
a strong incentive to pursue portfolio growth: the two firms together have nearly $1.5
trillion in portfolio assets, leading some observers to describe them as the world’s
largest savings and loan institutions. The size of their portfolios represents a
concentration of mortgage market risk that led former Federal Reserve Board
Chairman Alan Greenspan and others to urge Congress to consider ways to shrink the
size of the GSEs’ asset portfolios.15
Section 109 of S. 190 as reported enumerates the types of “permissible assets”
that Fannie and Freddie would be permitted to purchase. They would only be
allowed to acquire mortgages and mortgage-backed securities for purposes of
securitization, and for certain other limited purposes. Under this proposal, Fannie
and Freddie’s business models would be considerably altered: instead of very large
investment funds, they would be transformed into conduits, buying mortgages from
the original lenders, pooling them, packaging them into mortgage-backed securities,
and selling them to bond investors. This would greatly reduce their portfolio
earnings, currently one of the chief sources of their profits. Proponents of portfolio
limits argue that this step is necessary to reduce the cost of the GSE subsidy to
taxpayers, which takes the form not of annual appropriations, but of the assumption
of risk — the potential cost to the Treasury of having to bail out either Fannie or
Freddie to avoid the possibility of a systemic catastrophe in the financial markets,
should either firm encounter serious difficulties. Opponents argue that reducing the
GSE’s interest earnings would mean less support for low- and moderate-income
housing goals. The House bill contains no similar provision.
Under H.R. 1461, the new regulator would have authority to cap the size of the
GSE portfolios, as part of its general safety-and-soundness authority. However, the
House bill would not impose a statutory requirement that the portfolios be shrunk.
The table below provides a side-by-side summary of legislative proposals
introduced in the 109th Congress that aim to reform the regulation of the GSEs. The
version of H.R. 1461 that is set out is the one reported by the Financial Services
Committee and later passed by the House. For ease of reference, amendments to the
reported version that were adopted on the House floor are set out in a separate
column.
15 E.g., testimony of Alan Greenspan, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, before the House Committee on Financial Services, Feb. 17, 2005.
CRS-7
Table 1. Provisions of GSE Reform Legislation
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Short Title
Federal Housing Finance Reform
Federal Housing Enterprise
Federal Housing Enterprise
Act of 2005
Regulatory Act of 2005
Regulatory Act of 2005
Subtitle A: Improvement of Safety and Soundness Regulation.
Name of New
Federal Housing Finance Agency
Federal Housing Enterprise
Federal Housing Enterprise
Regulatory Agency
(Sec. 101)
Regulatory Agency (Sec. 101)
Regulatory Agency (Sec. 101)
Agency Status
Independent federal agency (Sec.
Independent federal agency
Independent federal agency
101)
(Sec. 101)
(Sec. 101)
Jurisdiction
General supervisory and regulatory
General regulatory authority over
General regulatory authority over
authority over Fannie Mae, Freddie
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the
Mac, and the Federal Home Loan
Federal Home Loan Banks, and the
Federal Home Loan Banks, and
Banks.
Federal Home Loan Bank Finance
the Federal Home Loan Bank
(Sec. 101)
Facility. (Sec. 101)
Finance Corporation. (Sec. 101)
CRS-8
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Key Definitions
Removes the category of
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, their
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, their
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, their
“any other person, as
affiliates, and the Federal Home
affiliates, and the Federal Home Loan affiliates, and the Federal Home
determined by the
Loan Banks are defined as
Banks are defined as “regulated
Loan Banks are defined as
Director” from the
“regulated entities.” The term
entities.” (Current law defines
“regulated entities.” (Under
defintion of “regulated
“enterprise” — used frequently in
Fannie and Freddie as “enterprises”
current law, Fannie Mae and
entity-affiliated party.”
H.R. 1461 — is defined in current
— many provisions of S. 190 refer
Freddie Mac are defined as
law to mean Fannie Mae and
only to them.) “Entity-affiliated
“enterprises” — many provisions
Freddie Mac. “Regulated entity-
party” refers to directors, officers,
of S. 190 refer only to them.)
affiliated party” includes (1)
employees, share holders,
“Enterprise-affiliated party,”
directors, officers, employees,
consultants, partners, and other
however, refers to directors,
agents, and controlling shareholders
persons (determined by the Director)
officers, employees,
of regulated entities; (2) any
affiliated with regulated entities. The shareholders, consultants,
shareholder, consultant, joint
definition also encompasses non-
partners, and other persons (as
venture partner, or other person (as
profits that receive principal, ongoing determined by the Director)
determined by the Director) that
funding from a regulated entity.
affiliated with Fannie, Freddie, or
participates in the affairs of a
Independent contractors (such as
the Federal Home Loan Banks.
regulated entity; (3) independent
attorneys or accountants) also meet
Independent contractors (such as
contractors (including attorneys,
the definition of “entity-affiliated
attorneys or accountants) also
appraisers, or accountants) and (4)
party” if they participate in violations meet the definition of
non-profits that receive principal
of law or regulation, breaches of
“enterprise-affiliated party” if
funding, on an ongoing basis, from
fiduciary duty, or unsafe and unsound they participate in violations of
any regulated entity. (Sec. 101)
practices that have a significant
law or regulation, breaches of
adverse impact on a regulated entity.
fiduciary duty, or unsafe and
Defines “violation” to include
unsound practices that have a
CRS-9
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
“causing, bringing about,
significant adverse impact on a
participating in, counseling, or aiding regulated entity. (Sec. 2)
and abetting.” (Sec. 2)
Agency Officials
Requires the Director to
A Director, appointed by the
A Director, appointed by the
A Director, appointed by the
establish an Office of the
President, with the advice and
President, with the advice and
President, with the advice and
Ombudsman, to hear
consent of the Senate, to a five-year
consent of the Senate, to a six-year
consent of the Senate, to a six-
complaints from regulated
term; and 3 deputy directors
term, and 3 deputy directors,
year term, and 3 deputy directors,
entities or persons with
(appointed by the Director), for the
appointed by the Director, for the
appointed by the Director, for the
business relationships to
Divisions of (1) Enterprise
Divisions of Enterprise Regulation;
Divisions of Enterprise
the entities.
Regulation; (2) Home Loan Bank
Home Loan Bank Regulation; and
Regulation; Home Loan Bank
Regulation; and (3) Housing.
Housing Mission and Goals. (Sec.
Supervision; and Housing
(Sec. 101)
101) An Inspector General of the
Mission and Goals. (Sec. 101)
Agency. (Sec. 105)
An Inspector General of the
Agency.
(Sec. 105)
Qualifications of
U.S. citizens, with a demonstrated
U.S. citizens, with a demonstrated
U.S. citizens, with a
Agency Officials
understanding of financial
understanding of financial
demonstrated understanding of
management or oversight and
management or oversight and
financial management or
housing finance, with additional
housing finance, with additional
oversight and housing finance,
specialized experience and
specialized experience requirements
with additional specialized
knowledge requirements for the
for the deputy director positions.
experience requirements for the
deputy director positions.
(Sec. 101)
deputy director positions.
(Sec. 101)
(Sec. 101)
CRS-10
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Duties and
To oversee the prudential operations To oversee the prudential operations
To oversee the prudential
Authorities of the
of regulated entities and to ensure
of regulated entities and to ensure
operations of regulated entities
Director
that each entity (1) operates in a safe that each entity (1) operates in a safe
and to ensure that each entity (1)
and sound manner and maintains
and sound manner and maintains
operates in a safe and sound
adequate capital and internal
adequate capital and internal controls, manner and maintains adequate
controls, (2) fosters well-functioning (2) fosters well-functioning housing
capital and internal controls, (2)
housing finance markets (including
finance markets (including low- and
fosters well-functioning housing
low- and moderate-income housing), moderate-income housing), (3)
finance markets (including low-
(3) complies with applicable laws
complies with applicable laws and
and moderate-income housing),
and regulations, and (4) engages
regulations, (4) engages only in
(3) complies with applicable laws
only in activities authorized by
activities authorized by statute, (5)
and regulations, (4) engages only
statute. The Director may review
serves the public interest, (6) remains in activities authorized by statute,
and reject attempts to acquire a
adequately capitalized, and (7) in the
(5) serves the public interest, and
controlling interest in a regulated
case of the FHLBs, that they provide
(6) remains adequately
entity. The Director may exercise
funds through their members for
capitalized, after consideration of
necessary and appropriate incidental small businesses and farms. The
the risk to such entity. The
powers to fulfill the agency’s duties
Director may review and reject
Director may review and reject
and responsibilities. The Director
attempts to acquire a controlling
attempts to acquire a controlling
shall be a member of the Federal
interest in a regulated entity. The
interest in a regulated entity. The
Financial Institutions Examination
Director may exercise necessary and
Director may exercise necessary
Council. (Sec. 102)
appropriate incidental powers to
and appropriate incidental
fulfill the agency’s duties and
powers to fulfill the agency’s
responsibilities. (Sec. 102)
duties and responsibilities. (Sec.
102)
CRS-11
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Prudential
The Director shall establish
The Director may establish standards
The Director may establish
Management and
standards for each regulated entity
for the enterprises regarding (1)
standards for the enterprises
Operations Standards
regarding (1) internal controls and
internal controls and information
regarding (1) internal controls
information systems, (2) internal
systems, (2) internal audit systems,
and information systems, (2)
audit systems, (3) credit and
(3) interest rate risk management, (4)
internal audit systems, (3)
counterparty risk, (4) interest rate
monitoring and management of
interest rate risk management, (4)
risk management, (5) monitoring
market risk, (5) adequacy and
monitoring and management of
and management of market risk, (6)
maintenance of liquidity and
market risk, (5) adequacy and
adequacy and maintenance of
reserves, (7) asset and portfolio
maintenance of liquidity and
liquidity and reserves, (7) asset and
growth, (8) overall risk management,
reserves, (7) asset and portfolio
portfolio management, (8)
including backup facilities to protect
growth, (8) overall risk
investments and acquisitions, (9)
against disruptive events, and (9)
management, including backup
record keeping, (10) issuance of
other standards deemed to be
facilities to protect against
subordinated debt, as the Director
appropriate. (Sec. 108)
disruptive events, and (9) other
considers necessary, (11) overall
standards deemed to be
risk management, including backup
appropriate. (Sec. 108)
facilities to protect against
disruptive events, and (12) other
standards the Director determines to
be appropriate. (Sec. 102)
CRS-12
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Failure to Meet
If the Director finds that a regulated
No comparable provision.
No comparable provision.
Prudential Standards
entity has failed to meet one of the
above standards, the entity shall
(within 30 days) submit a plan to
correct the deficiency. If the
deficiency is not corrected, the
Director may prohibit the entity
from increasing its total assets, may
require an increase in regulatory
capital, or take other measures.
(Sec. 102)
Authority to Require
The Director is authorized to require The Director is authorized to require
The Director is authorized to
Reporting by
regulated entities to submit regular
regulated entities to submit regular
require regulated entities to
Regulated Entities
reports on their operations and
reports, including financial
submit regular reports, including
financial condition. Regulated
statements determined on a fair value
financial statements determined
entities would be required to report
basis. Establishes penalties for failure on a fair value basis. (Sec. 104)
in a timely manner the discovery of
to make reports.
Regulated entities would be
a purchase or sale of a fraudulent
(Sec. 104)
required to report in a timely
loan. (Sec. 104)
Regulated entities would be required
manner the discovery of a
to report in a timely manner the
purchase or sale of a fraudulent
discovery of a purchase or sale of a
loan. (Sec. 112)
fraudulent loan.
(Sec. 113)
CRS-13
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Advisory Board
Creates the Housing Finance
Creates the Federal Housing
Creates the Federal Housing
Oversight Board (made up of the
Enterprise Board (made up of the
Enterprise Board (made up of the
Director, the Secretaries of the
Director, the Secretaries of the
Director, the Secretaries of the
Treasury and HUD, or their
Treasury and HUD, and the
Treasury and HUD, and the
designees, and two individuals with
Chairman of the SEC) to advise the
Chairman of the SEC) to advise
relevant experience appointed by the Director on overall strategies and
the Director on overall strategies
President to three-year terms, with
policies. The board is to meet at least and policies. The board is to
the advice and consent of the
every three months, and testify to
meet at least every three months,
Senate) to advise the Director on
Congress annually on the safety and
and testify to Congress annually
overall strategies and policies. The
soundness of the regulated entities
on the safety and soundness of
board is to meet at least every three
and the performance of the agency.
the regulated entities and the
months, and testify to Congress
(Sec. 103)
performance of the agency.
annually on the safety and
(Sec. 103)
soundness, operational status, and
mission performance of the
regulated entities, and the operations
and performance of the agency and
board. (Sec. 103)
CRS-14
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Assessments and
The Director shall establish and
Removes the Agency from the
Removes the Agency from the
Appropriations
collect annual assessments from the
appropriations process. The Director
appropriations process. The
regulated entities to provide for
would establish and collect annual
Director shall establish and
reasonable costs and expenses of the assessments from the regulated
collect annual assessments from
Agency, including (1) costs of
entities, in amounts sufficient to
the regulated entities, in amounts
examinations, reviews, and credit
provide for reasonable costs and
sufficient to provide for
assessments, and (2) amounts in
expenses of the agency, including (1)
reasonable costs and expenses of
excess of actual expenses to
costs of examinations, reviews, and
the agency, including (1) costs of
maintain necessary working capital.
credit assessments, and (2) amounts
examinations, reviews, and credit
Assessments may be increased to
in excess of actual expenses to
assessments, and (2) amounts in
cover costs of enforcement activities maintain necessary working capital.
excess of actual expenses to
or if an entity is inadequately
Salaries and other expenses of the
maintain necessary working
capitalized. Salaries and other
agency shall be paid from
capital. Salaries and other
expenses shall be paid from
assessments, which shall not be
expenses of the agency shall be
assessments, which shall not be
construed to be government funds or
paid from assessments, which
construed to be government funds or appropriated monies.
shall not be construed to be
appropriated monies. The agency
(Sec. 106)
government funds or
shall provide OMB with financial
appropriated monies.
plans and forecasts, prepare annual
(Sec. 106)
financial statements (including an
assertion of the effectiveness of
internal accounting controls), and be
audited annually by GAO (at the
agency’s expense). (Sec. 105)
CRS-15
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Direct Hire Authority
Director may hire examiners,
Director may hire examiners,
Director may hire examiners,
accountants, specialists in
accountants, economists, and
accountants, economists, and
technology or financial markets, and specialists in financial markets and
specialists in financial markets
economists in accordance with rules
technology in accordance with rules
and technology in accordance
governing the excepted service,
governing the excepted service,
with rules governing the
notwithstanding any rules governing notwithstanding any rules governing
excepted service,
the competitive service. (Sec. 106)
the competitive service. (Sec. 105)
notwithstanding any rules
governing the competitive
service. (Sec. 105)
Prohibition and
The prohibition (in current law) of
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Withholding of
executive compensation that is not
Executive
reasonable or comparable is
Compensation
amended by permitting the Director
to take into account wrongdoing on
the part of the executive, and to hold
pay in escrow while a determination
is made. (Sec. 107)
Regulations and
The Director is authorized to issue
The Director is authorized to issue
The Director is authorized to
Orders
any regulations, guidelines, or
any regulations, directives,
issue any regulations, directives,
orders that are necessary to carry out guidelines, or orders that are
guidelines, or orders that are
the authorizing statutes. (Sec. 109)
necessary to carry out the authorizing necessary to carry out the
statutes. (Sec. 107)
authorizing statutes. (Sec. 107)
CRS-16
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Control over
The Director shall periodically
Director shall, by regulation,
Authorizes the Director to
Enterprise Assets,
review the on-balance sheet assets
establish criteria regarding the assets
determine the type and amount of
Portfolios, and
liabilities of the enterprises, and may that an enterprise may hold,
nonmission-related assets that an
Obligations
order the disposition or acquisition
considering safety and soundness of
enterprise may hold at any time.
of any asset or obligation, if the
the enterprises and systemic risk.
Any regulation issued for this
Director determines that such action
“Permissible assets” are to include
purpose shall include a definition
is consistent with safe and sound
only the following: (1) mortgages and of “nonmission-related asset.”
operation.
mortgage-backed securities acquired
(Sec. 109)
(Sec. 112)
for purposes of securitization, (2)
mortgages related to affordable
housing goals that cannot be readily
securitized, (3) a limited inventory of
mortgages to support the guarantee
business, (4) cash, (5) real estate
acquired through foreclosure, (6)
U.S. Treasury securities, and (7) real
estate, equipment, and intellectual
property related to the enterprise’s
operations. (Sec. 109)
CRS-17
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Risk-Based and
The Director shall, by regulation,
The Director shall, by regulation,
The Director shall, by regulation,
Minimum Capital
establish risk-based capital
establish risk-based capital
establish risk-based capital
Levels
requirements for the enterprises to
requirements for each regulated
requirements for each regulated
ensure safe and sound operation and
entity, to ensure safe and sound
entity, to ensure safe and sound
maintenance of sufficient capital and operation and maintenance of
operation and maintenance of
reserves to support risk exposure.
sufficient capital and reserves to
sufficient capital and reserves to
The Director shall establish risk-
support risk exposure.
support risk exposure.
based capital requirements for the
(Sec. 110)
(Sec. 110)
Federal Home Loan Banks.
Confidentiality of information
enabling risk-based capital standards
shall be maintained. (Sec. 110)
CRS-18
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Minimum and
The Director may, by regulation,
The Director is authorized to
With regard to the enterprises
Critical Capital
establish minimum capital levels for
establish minimum capital levels for
(Fannie and Freddie), the
Levels
regulated entities that are higher
regulated entities that are higher than
Director may establish minimum
than the statutory levels. The
those specified in statute.
capital levels that are higher than
Director may, by order or regulation, (Sec. 110)
those specified in the statute.
establish a capital or reserve
(Sec. 110)
requirement with respect to a
Authorizes the Director to establish
particular program or activity, to
critical capital levels for the
ensure that the entity operates in a
enterprises that are different from the
safe and sound manner. The
levels specified in statute, and to
Director shall, by regulation,
establish critical capital levels for the
establish a critical capital level for
FHLBs. (Sec. 141)
the Home Loan Banks. (Sec. 111)
CRS-19
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
SEC Registration
Requires each regulated entity to
Requires each regulated entity to
Requires each regulated entity to
Requirements
register at least one class of capital
register at least one class of capital
register at least one class of
stock with the SEC, and requires
stock with the SEC, and requires
capital stock with the SEC, and
enterprises (Fannie and Freddie) to
enterprises (Fannie and Freddie) to
requires enterprises (Fannie and
comply with Sections 14 and 16 of
comply with Sections 14 and 16 of
Freddie) to comply with Sections
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
14 and 16 of the Securities
(which deal with proxy reporting
which deal with proxy reporting and
Exchange Act of 1934, which
and disclosure of insider
disclosure of insider transactions in
deal with proxy reporting and
transactions in company stock).
company stock. (Sec. 111)
disclosure of insider transactions
Enterprises whose stock is not
in company stock. (Sec. 110)
registered or is deregistered remain
Sec. 205 (see below) exempts the
subject to certain provisions of the
Federal Home Loan Banks from
Securities Exchange Act.
several provisions of securities
(Sec. 114)
law.
Corporate
Requires a majority of the board to
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Governance of
be independent directors, as defined
Enterprises
by the NYSE. Requires boards to
meet at least eight times a year, and
requires non-management directors
to meet regularly in executive
session without management
participation. (Sec. 113)
CRS-20
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Compensation by
Compensation of directors,
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Enterprises
executives, and employees shall not
exceed what is reasonable and
appropriate, shall be commensurate
with duties and responsibilities,
consistent with the long-term goals
of the enterprise, shall not focus
solely on earnings performance.
Enterprises are made subject to
Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act, which requires CEOs and CFOs
to reimburse the company under
certain circumstances after an
accounting restatement. (Sec. 113)
Code of Conduct and
An enterprise shall establish and
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Ethics
enforce a written code of conduct
designed to ensure that directors,
officers, and employees act in an
impartial and objective manner,
including standards under section
406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(Sec. 113)
CRS-21
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Responsibilities of
The board of an enterprise shall
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
the Board of
oversee (1) corporate strategy, risk
Directors
policy, and compliance programs,
(2) hiring and retention of qualified
executives, (3) compensation
programs, (4) the integrity of
accounting and financial reporting
systems, (5) disclosures to
shareholders and investors, (6)
extensions of credit to officers and
directors, and (7) responsiveness in
reporting to federal regulators. (Sec.
113)
Prohibition of
An enterprise may not (directly,
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Extensions of Credit
indirectly, or through a subsidiary)
make any personal loan to a board
member or executive officer. (Sec.
113)
CRS-22
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Certification of
The CEO and CFO of an enterprise
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Disclosures
shall review annual and quarterly
reports and shall make the
certifications required by section
302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(Sec. 113)
Change of Audit
Requires that the lead partner of the
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Partner
external auditor of an enterprise be
changed every five years. (Sec.
113)
Compliance Program
Each enterprise shall establish a
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
compliance program reasonably
designed to ensure that the
enterprise complies with applicable
laws, regulations, and internal
controls. The program shall be
headed by a compliance officer, who
reports directly to the CEO and
regularly to the board. (Sec. 113)
CRS-23
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Risk Management
Each enterprise shall establish a risk No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Program
management program reasonably
designed to manage the risks of
operation. The program shall be
headed by a risk management
officer, who reports directly to the
CEO and regularly to the board.
(Sec. 113)
Restrictions on
No comparable provision, but such
The Agency may prohibit or limit, by The Agency may prohibit or
Certain Golden
payments could be subject to the
regulation or order, any golden
limit, by regulation or order, any
Parachute Payments
“reasonable and appropriate” tests in parachute or indemnification
golden parachute or
Section 113(c).
payment. Sets out criteria that the
indemnification payment that
Agency may consider in deciding
would be received by any
whether to prohibit a payment. (Sec.
enterprise-affiliated party after an
112)
enterprise became insolvent, was
determined to be in a troubled
condition, or following the
appointment of a conservator or
receiver. (Sec. 111)
CRS-24
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Reporting of
Regulated entities would be required The Director shall, by regulation,
The Director shall, by regulation,
Fraudulent Loans
to report in a timely manner the
require enterprises to timely disclose
require enterprises to timely
discovery of a purchase or sale of a
the discovery of the purchase or sale
disclose the discovery of the
fraudulent loan. (Sec. 104)
of a fraudulent loan. Regulated
purchase or sale of a fraudulent
entities must have procedures
loan. (Sec. 112)
designed to discover fraudulent loans.
(Sec. 113)
CRS-25
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Subtitle B: Improvement of Mission Supervision.
Oversight of
Program and housing goal oversight
Oversight of affordable housing goals Oversight of affordable housing
Affordable Housing
is transferred from HUD to the
is transferred from Secretary of HUD
goals is transferred from
Goals
Agency.
to the Director. HUD retains fair
Secretary of HUD to the
(Sec. 121)
housing responsibilities. (Secs. 121,
Director. HUD retains fair
123 and 124) The Inspector General
housing responsibilities. (Secs.
of the Agency shall conduct an
121 and 124-126) The Inspector
annual audit of affordable housing
General of the Agency shall
programs.
conduct an annual audit of
(Sec. 402)
affordable housing programs.
Incorporates into statute (and
(Sec. 402)
modifies) several regulatory
provisions dealing with definitions
and oversight of housing goals.
(Sec. 127)
CRS-26
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Prior Approval of
Enterprises may not undertake new
Prior approval authority is transferred Prior approval authority is
New Business
programs or business activities
from HUD to the Director. (Sec.
transferred from HUD to the
Activities by
without the Director’s prior
121) The Director shall consider
Director. (Sec. 121)
Enterprises
approval. Approval is contingent
whether proposed new products are
Authorizes the Director to review
upon consistency with statutory
(1) consistent with the GSEs’
any enterprise activities, to
authority, safety and soundness, and
authorizing statutes, (2) in the public
determine their conformance
the public interest. The Director
interest, (3) consistent with safety
with the purposes of the statutes,
may prohibit any activity that is
and soundness of the enterprise and
and to protect the safety and
inconsistent with the law, otherwise
the mortgage finance system, and (4)
soundness of the enterprises.
inconsistent with safety and
not harmful to the stability or
The Director may prohibit or
soundness, or not in the public
competitiveness of the mortgage
limit any activities found to be
interest. Requires enterprises to
finance system. Requests for
impermissible or inappropriate.
submit a report to the director
approval of new products would
(Sec. 122)
describing each program and
trigger a 30-day public comment
business activity within 180 days of
period, after which the Agency would
enactment. (Sec. 122)
have 30 days to act on the request.
(Sec. 122)
CRS-27
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Mission Clarification
Within six months of the effective
No comparable provision, but the
The Director shall define by
date of this legislation, the Director
Director could consider the
regulation “loan origination,”
shall, by regulation, define
distinction between primary and
establishing thereby which
“mortgage loan origination” and
secondary markets when deciding
activities are impermissible for
“secondary mortgage market.” (Sec. whether to approve new products.
the enterprises. The Director
122)
(Sec. 122)
shall define the boundary
between the secondary mortgage
market (where the enterprises are
allowed to operate) and the
primary mortgage market (where
they are not). Grandfathering of
enterprise activities that do not
accord with these definitions is
not automatically presumed, but
may be permitted by the
Director. (Sec. 107)
CRS-28
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Conforming Loan
Sets conforming loan limits and
Provides for annual adjustments to
No comparable provision
Limits
requires the agency to make annual
the conforming loan limit based on
adjustments to the limits based on
changes in a housing price index to
increases or decreases in a housing
be established and maintained by the
price index maintained by the
Director.
agency. The accuracy of the
(Sec. 126)
housing price index is to be audited
by GAO. For high-cost
metropolitan statistical areas, the
conforming loan limit is raised to
the lesser of 150% of the statutory
limit or the median home price in
that area. (Sec. 123)
CRS-29
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Annual Housing
The Director shall report annually to No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Report
the House Financial Services and
Senate Banking Committees on the
achievement of housing goals,
actions to promote or expand goals,
to expand opportunities for first-
time home buyers, fair housing
issues, and conditions in housing
markets. To assist in the preparation
of this report, the Director shall
conduct a monthly survey of
housing markets. (Sec. 124)
CRS-30
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Establishment of
The Director shall establish goals,
No comparable provision
No comparable provisions
Housing Goals and
with annual targets, for the
Home Purchase Goal
purchases of mortgage loans made
to low and very low income
families, or families in low income
areas. Annual goals shall also be
established for purchases of
mortgages on multifamily housing
units serving very low income
families, or units assisted by the
low-income housing tax credit.
(Sec. 125)
Creates a duty to serve underserved
markets, by undertaking activities
related to mortgages on housing for
low, very low, and moderate income
familes, including manufactured
housing.
(Sec. 126)
CRS-31
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Monitoring and
Upon a written finding that an
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Enforcing Housing
enterprise has failed to meet a
Goal Compliance
housing goal, the Director is
authorized to take any of several
steps to enforce compliance,
including cease-and-desist orders,
refusal to authorize new programs,
and civil money penalties not to
exceed $50,000 per day. Other
sanctions may include a prohibition
on new activities or programs. (Sec.
127)
CRS-32
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Affordable Housing
Expands the mission of the
Each enterprise shall establish an
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Fund
fund to include increasing
affordable housing fund to increase
investment in public
homeownership among very- and
infrastructure and
extremely-low income families, to
leveraging investments
increase investment in housing in
from other sources in
low income and economically
connection with low- and
distressed areas, and to increase and
extremely-low income
preserve the supply of rental and
housing. Adds a five-year
owner-occupied housing for very-
sunset to the affordable
and extremely-low income families.
housing fund, and requires
Each enterprise shall allocate to this
the Director to report to
fund 3.5% of its after-tax income
Congress with
during the first year after enactment,
recommendations as to
and 5% in subsequent years. No
whether the fund should be
allocation would be required when
extended or modified.
an enterprise was less than
Prohibits use of fund
adequately capitalized.
disbursements for political
(Sec. 128)
purposes, and requires the
enterprises to track the use
of funds by recipients.
CRS-33
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Affordable Housing
Requires the Board to
The Director shall appoint an
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Board
establish a priority for
affordable housing board, whose
funding activities in areas
members shall include the
affected by Hurricanes
Secretaries of HUD and Agriculture
Katrina and Rita, or any
(or their designees), and 2 persons
area declared a major
each from (1) businesses and (2)
disaster area.
non-profits actively engaged in
promoting or providing housing for
very- or extremely-low income
households. The board shall
determine very- and extremely-low
income housing needs and advise
the director on priorities for the use
of the affordable housing funds.
(Sec. 128)
CRS-34
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Subtitle C: Prompt Corrective Action.
Capital
The Director may reclassify a
The Director may reclassify a
The Director may reclassify a
Classifications
regulated entity (1) whose conduct
regulated entity whose conduct could
regulated entity whose conduct
could rapidly deplete core or total
rapidly deplete core capital, or whose could rapidly deplete core
capital, or (in the case of an
mortgage assets have declined
capital, or whose mortgage assets
enterprise) whose mortgage assets
significantly in value, or which is
have declined significantly in
have declined significantly in value,
determined (after notice and
value, or which is determined
or (2) which is determined (after
opportunity for a hearing) to be in an
(after notice and opportunity for
notice and opportunity for a hearing) unsafe or unsound condition. (Sec.
a hearing) to be in an unsafe or
to be in an unsafe or unsound
142)
unsound condition. (Sec. 141)
condition. (Sec. 141)
Restriction on
A regulated entity shall make no
A regulated entity shall make no
A regulated entity shall make no
Capital Distributions
capital distribution that would cause
capital distribution that would cause
capital distribution that would
it to become undercapitalized,
it to become undercapitalized, except
cause it to become
except as permitted by the Director
as permitted by the Director under
undercapitalized, except as
under certain circumstances.
certain circumstances.
permitted by the Director under
(Sec. 141)
(Sec. 142)
certain circumstances.
(Sec. 141)
CRS-35
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Supervisory Actions
The Director must monitor the
The Director must monitor the
The Director must monitor the
Applicable to
entity’s condition, its compliance
entity’s condition, its compliance
entity’s condition, its compliance
Undercapitalized
with its capital restoration plan, and
with its capital restoration plan, and
with its capital restoration plan,
Regulated Entities
the efficacy of the plan. No growth
the efficacy of the plan. No growth
and the efficacy of the plan. No
in total assets is permitted for an
in total assets is permitted for an
growth in total assets is permitted
undercapitalized GSE, unless the
undercapitalized GSE, unless the
for an undercapitalized GSE,
director has accepted the GSE’s
director has accepted the GSE’s
unless the director has accepted
capital restoration plan, an increase
capital restoration plan, an increase in the GSE’s capital restoration
in assets is consistent with the plan,
assets is consistent with the plan, and
plan, an increase in assets is
and the ratio of tangible equity to
the ratio of tangible equity to assets is consistent with the plan, and the
assets is increasing. No new
increasing. No new activities or
ratio of tangible equity to assets
activities or acquisitions permitted
acquisitions permitted without the
is increasing. No new activities
without the Director’s prior approval Director’s prior approval and
or acquisitions permitted without
and determination that such
determination that such activities
the Director’s prior approval and
activities would be consistent with
would be consistent with the capital
determination that such activities
the capital restoration plan. Actions
restoration plan. Actions that may be would be consistent with the
that may be taken under current law
taken under current law with regard
capital restoration plan. Actions
with regard to significantly
to significantly undercapitalized
that may be taken under current
undercapitalized GSEs may be taken GSEs may be taken with regard to
law with regard to significantly
with regard to undercapitalized
undercapitalized GSEs. (Sec. 142)
undercapitalized GSEs may be
GSEs. (Sec. 142)
taken with regard to
undercapitalized GSEs.
(Sec. 142)
CRS-36
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Supervisory Actions
Supervisory actions that the
Supervisory actions that the regulator Supervisory actions that the
Applicable to
regulator
may take under current law
may take under current law
must be
regulator
may take under current
Significantly
must be taken, including one or
taken, including one or more of the
law
must be taken, including one
Undercapitalized
more of the following: new election
following: new election of directors,
or more of the following: new
Regulated Entities
of directors, dismissal of directors
dismissal of directors and/or
election of directors, dismissal of
and/or executives, and hiring of
executives, and hiring of qualified
directors and/or executives, and
qualified executive officers, or other executive officers, or other actions.
hiring of qualified executive
actions. Without prior written
Without prior written approval of the
officers, or other actions.
approval of the Director, executives
Director, executives of a significantly Without prior written approval of
of a significantly undercapitalized
undercapitalized GSE may not
the Director, executives of a
GSE may not receive bonuses or pay receive bonuses or pay raises. (Sec.
significantly undercapitalized
raises. (Sec. 143)
143)
GSE may not receive bonuses or
pay raises. (Sec. 143)
CRS-37
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Authority Over
The Director may appoint (or the
The Director may appoint (or the
The Director may appoint (or the
Critically
agency may serve as) a receiver or
agency may serve as) a receiver or
agency may serve as) a receiver
Undercapitalized
conservator for several specified
conservator for several specified
or conservator for several
Enterprises
causes related to financial difficulty
causes related to financial difficulty
specified causes related to
(Liquidation
and/or violations of law or
and/or violations of law or regulation. financial difficulty and/or
Authority)
regulation. Sets out powers of
Sets out powers of conservators or
violations of law or regulation.
conservators or receivers, and
receivers, and procedures for
Sets out powers of conservators
procedures for settlement of claims
settlement of claims and other aspects or receivers, and procedures for
and other aspects of liquidation.
of liquidation. Authorizes the
settlement of claims and other
Authorizes the Director to appoint a
Director to appoint a limited-life
aspects of liquidation.
limited-life enterprise to deal with
enterprise to deal with the affairs of
Authorizes the Director to
the affairs of an enterprise in
an enterprise in default. Prohibits a
appoint a limited-life enterprise
default. Prohibits a receiver from
receiver from terminating or revoking to deal with the affairs of an
terminating or revoking the charter
the charter of an enterprise.
enterprise in default. Prohibits a
of an enterprise. (Sec. 144)
(Sec. 144)
receiver from terminating or
revoking the charter of an
enterprise. (Sec. 144)
CRS-38
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Subtitle D: Enforcement Actions.
Cease-and-Desist
The Director may issue cease-and-
The Director may issue cease-and-
The Director may issue cease-
Orders
desist orders against a regulated
desist orders against a regulated
and-desist orders against a
entity, a regulated entity-affiliated
entity, an entity-affiliated party, or
regulated entity, an entity-
party, or the Federal Home Loan
the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance affiliated party, or the Federal
Bank Finance Corporation (created
Corporation (created by Sec. 204) for Home Loan Bank Finance
by Sec. 204) for unsafe or unsound
unsafe or unsound practices (actual or Corporation (created by Sec.
practices (actual or imminent),
imminent), violations of laws and
204) for unsafe or unsound
violations of laws and regulations,
regulations, or for a less-than-
practices (actual or imminent),
or for a less-than-satisfactory rating
satisfactory rating where the
violations of laws and
where the identified deficiency is
identified deficiency is not corrected. regulations, or for a less-than-
not corrected. (Sec. 161)
(Sec. 151)
satisfactory rating where the
identified deficiency is not
Temporary cease-and-desist orders
Temporary cease-and-desist orders
corrected. (Sec. 151)
may be issued if actions taken (or
may be issued if actions taken (or not
not taken) by the regulated entity are taken) by the regulated entity are
Temporary cease-and-desist
likely to cause insolvency or weaken likely to cause insolvency or weaken
orders may be issued if actions
its financial condition prior to the
its financial condition prior to the
taken (or not taken) by the
conclusion of a cease-and-desist
conclusion of a cease-and-desist
regulated entity are likely to
proceeding. (Sec. 162)
proceeding. (Sec. 152)
cause insolvency or weaken its
financial condition prior to the
conclusion of a cease-and-desist
proceeding. (Sec. 152)
CRS-39
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Removal and
After written notice and opportunity
The Director may issue cease-and-
The Director may issue cease-
Prohibition Authority
for a hearing, the Director may
desist orders against a regulated
and-desist orders against a
suspend or remove regulated entity-
entity, an entity-affiliated party, or
regulated entity, an entity-
affiliated parties who have (1)
the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance affiliated party, or the Federal
violated a law or a cease-and-desist
Facility (created by Sec. 204) for
Home Loan Bank Finance
or other written order, (2) engaged
unsafe or unsound practices (actual or Corporation (created by Sec.
in an unsafe or unsound practice, or
imminent), violations of laws and
204) for unsafe or unsound
(3) breached fiduciary duty, such
regulations, or for a less-than-
practices (actual or imminent),
that (1) the regulated entity is likely
satisfactory rating where the
violations of laws and
to suffer loss or the enterprise
identified deficiency is not corrected. regulations, or for a less-than-
affiliated party gain, and (2) the
(Sec. 151)
satisfactory rating where the
unsafe or unsound practice involves
identified deficiency is not
personal dishonesty or demonstrates
Temporary cease-and-desist orders
corrected. (Sec. 151)
willful and continuing disregard for
may be issued if actions taken (or not
the safety and soundness of the
taken) by the regulated entity are
Temporary cease-and-desist
regulated entity. Also provides for
likely to cause insolvency or weaken
orders may be issued if actions
industry-wide suspensions under
its financial condition prior to the
taken (or not taken) by the
certain circumstances. Provides for
conclusion of a cease-and-desist
regulated entity are likely to
judicial review of such orders or
proceeding. (Sec. 152)
cause insolvency or weaken its
suspensions. (Sec. 166)
financial condition prior to the
conclusion of a cease-and-desist
proceeding. (Sec. 152)
CRS-40
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Enforcement and
Authorizes the Director to apply to
Authorizes the Director to apply to
Authorizes the Director to apply
Jurisdiction
Federal District Court for
Federal District Court for
to Federal District Court for
enforcement of outstanding notice or enforcement of outstanding orders or
enforcement of outstanding
order, and to request the Attorney
subpoenas, and to request the
orders or subpoenas, and to
General to bring actions for that
Attorney General to bring actions for
request the Attorney General to
purpose. (Sec. 164)
that purpose. (Sec. 154)
bring actions for that purpose.
(Sec. 154)
Civil Money
Establishes three tiers of fines: (1)
Establishes three tiers of fines: (1)
Establishes three tiers of fines:
Penalties
$10,000 per day for violations of
$10,000 per day for violations of
(1) $10,000 per day for violations
orders, etc., (2) $50,000 per day for
orders, etc., (2) $50,000 per day for a
of orders, etc., (2) $50,000 per
recklessly engaging in an unsafe or
pattern of misconduct or material
day for a pattern of misconduct
unsound practice, or a pattern of
breach of fiduciary duty with
or material breach of fiduciary
misconduct or material breach of
financial gain to the entity or
duty with financial gain to the
fiduciary duty with financial gain to
individual, and (3) up to a maximum
entity or individual, and (3) up to
the entity or individual, and (3) up to of $2 million for knowingly engaging a maximum of $2 million for
a maximum of $2 million per day
in violations, breaches of fiduciary
knowingly engaging in
for knowingly engaging in
duties, or unsafe or unsound practices violations, breaches of fiduciary
violations, breaches of fiduciary
that cause substantial losses to a
duties, or unsafe or unsound
duties, or unsafe or unsound
regulated entity. (Sec. 155)
practices that cause substantial
practices that cause substantial
losses to a regulated entity.
losses to a regulated entity.
(Sec. 155)
(Sec. 165)
CRS-41
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Criminal Penalties
Anyone who participates directly or
Anyone who participates directly or
Anyone who participates directly
indirectly in the affairs of a
indirectly in the affairs of a regulated
or indirectly in the affairs of a
regulated entity while under
entity while under suspension or
regulated entity while under
suspension or order of removal shall order of removal shall be liable for a
suspension or order of removal
be liable for a fine of up to $1
fine of up to $1 million, or five years
shall be liable for a fine of up to
million, or five years imprisonment. imprisonment. (Sec. 156)
$1 million, or five years
(Sec. 167)
imprisonment. (Sec. 156)
Studies and Reports
In addition to the study in Section
(1) The Federal Reserve shall study
(1) The Director and federal bank
Required
182 (described to the right), the
and report to Congress on the effects
regulators shall report to
reported bill calls for (1) a study by
of the Basel II Capital Accord on
Congress on holdings of GSE
the Director of the effect that
regulated entities. (Sec. 401)
debt by insured depository
restrictions on conforming loan
(2) The Director and federal bank
institutions and whether such
limits have on mortgage markets;
regulators shall report to Congress on holdings are a source of systemic
(2) a study on guarantee fees by the
holdings of GSE debt by insured
risk.
Comptroller General in consultation
depository institutions and whether
(2) The Director, in consultation
with the federal banking agencies
such holdings are a source of
with GAO, shall report to
and the new director of the FHFA;
systemic risk. (Sec 403) (3) The
Congress on GSE portfolio
(3) a review by the GSEs of
Director shall submit a quarterly
operations, risk management, and
disparities in interest rates charged
report to Congress on the risk-based
mission. (3) The Director shall
on mortgages for minority
capital levels for the enterprises.
report to Congress on the
borrowers; (4) an affordable housing (Sec. 404) (4) The GAO shall
appropriate level of debt issuance
study related to long-term-care
submit an annual report to Congress,
by GSEs. (4) The Director shall
facilities; and
with recommendations, on the
submit a quarterly report to
(5) a study of alternative secondary
allocation of resources within the
Congress on the risk-based
CRS-42
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
mortgage markets systems, such as
Agency and the level of assessments
capital levels for the enterprises.
privatization or competition from
collected from the regulated entities.
(5) The GAO shall submit an
new GSEs.
(Sec. 405) (5) The Director shall
annual report to Congress, with
conduct an ongoing study of
recommendations, on the
guarantee fees, and collect data
allocation of resources within the
regarding such fees. The Director
Agency and the level of
shall submit an annual report to
assessments collected from the
Congress regarding the amount of
regulated entities. (Sec. 161)
such fees and the way they are set.
(6) The Federal Reserve shall
(Sec. 406) (6) The Agency, the SEC, study and report to Congress on
and the Treasury shall study and
the effects of the Basel II Capital
report to Congress on registration of
Accord. (Sec. 401)
debt securities of regulated entities
under the Securities Act of 1933.
(Sec. 407)
All reports required by this title shall
include recommendations regarding
legislation, regulations, or other
actions to deal effectively and
appropriately with the issues raised.
(Sec. 408)
CRS-43
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
End of Presidential
Eliminates the requirement that five
Abolishes the requirement that five
Abolishes the requirement that
Appointment of
directors on the boards of Fannie
directors on the boards of Fannie Mae five directors on the boards of
Enterprise Directors
Mae and Freddie Mac be appointed
and Freddie Mac be appointed by the
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac be
by the President. Reduces the size
President.
appointed by the President.
of enterprise boards from 18 to
(Sec. 172)
(Sec. 172)
between 7 and 15. (Sec. 181)
CRS-44
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Title II: Federal Home Loan Bank Provisions.
Boards of Directors
Provides that boards of FHLBs shall Provides that all directors of Federal
Provides that all directors of
contain 13 members, or such
Home Loan Banks shall be elected by Federal Home Loan Banks shall
number as the Director determines,
the membership. The 13-member
be elected by the membership.
all elected by the membership (none
boards shall include (1) member
The 13-member boards shall
appointed). A majority of each
directors — officers or directors of
include (1) member directors —
board shall consist of member
member banks located in the bank
officers or directors of member
directors — officers or directors of
district — and (2) at least five non-
banks located in the bank district
member banks located in the FHLB
member directors (at least 1/3 of the
— and (2) at least five
district. At least 1/3 of the members board), who shall be residents of the
nonmember directors, who shall
shall be independent directors: bona
bank district, and who shall include at be residents of the bank district,
fide residents of the bank district, at
least two representatives of consumer and who shall include at least
least two of whom represent
or community interests. Directors’
two representatives of consumer
consumer or community interests.
terms are extended from three to four
or community interests.
Other independent directors shall
years.
Directors’ terms are extended
have financial or management
(Sec. 201)
from three to four years.
expertise. Independent directors
(Sec. 201)
may not serve as officers of a FHLB
or member bank. Terms of service
are set at four (rather than three)
years. The cap on director pay is
lifted, but compensation must be
reasonable and appropriate.
(Sec. 202)
CRS-45
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Debt Issuing Facility
No directly comparable provision,
Establishes a Federal Home Loan
Establishes a Federal Home Loan
but permits two or more FHLBs to
Bank Finance facility to issue and
Bank Finance Corporation (as a
establish a joint office to provide
service debt obligations, to act as
jointly owned subsidiary of the
services to banks on a common or
fiscal agent, and to perform other
Federal Home Loan Banks) to
collective basis. The FHLBs may
functions now performed by the
issue and service debt
require the Office of Finance to
Office of Finance. Provides for a
obligations, to act as fiscal agent,
provide such services as the banks
governing Board of Directors,
and to perform other functions
are authorized to perform or provide comprising the presidents of the
now performed by the Office of
individually. (Sec. 204)
Federal Home Loan Banks, and sets
Finance. Provides for a
out the Board’s duties and powers.
governing Board of Directors,
(Sec. 204)
comprising the presidents of the
Federal Home Loan Banks, and
sets out the Board’s duties and
powers. (Sec. 204)
FHLB Mergers and
Permits voluntary mergers between
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Reorganization
FHLBs, subject to the approval and
regulation of the Director. (Sec. 206)
Community
Insured depository institutions with
No comparable provision
No comparable provision
Financial Institution
less than $1 billion in assets may use
Members
Federal Home Loan Bank advances
for lending to community
development activities, and use such
secured loans as collateral for
advances generally. (Sec. 208)
CRS-46
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Exemption from
Exempts the Federal Home Loan
Exempts the Federal Home Loan
Exempts the Federal Home Loan
Certain SEC
Banks from certain disclosure
Banks from certain disclosure
Banks from certain disclosure
Reporting
requirements with regard to
requirements with regard to
requirements with regard to
Requirements
transactions involving capital stock
transactions involving capital stock
transactions involving capital
of the banks. Shares of Federal
of the banks. Shares of Federal
stock of the banks. Shares of
Home Loan Bank capital stock are
Home Loan Bank capital stock are
Federal Home Loan Bank capital
defined as “exempted securities.”
defined as “exempted securities.”
stock are defined as “exempted
Debentures, bonds, and other FHLB
Debentures, bonds, and other debt
securities.” Debentures, bonds,
debt obligations are defined as
obligations are defined as “exempted
and other debt obligations are
“exempted securities” and
securities” and “government
defined as “exempted securities”
“government securities.” A person
securities.” A person that effects
and “government securities.” A
that effects transactions in Federal
transactions in Federal Home Loan
person that effects transactions in
Home Loan Bank capital stock or
Bank capital stock or other
Federal Home Loan Bank capital
other obligations is excluded from
obligations is excluded from the
stock or other obligations is
the definition of “government
definition of “government securities
excluded from the definition of
securities dealer.” The Federal
dealer.” The Federal Home Loan
“government securities dealer.”
Home Loan Banks shall be exempt
Banks shall be exempt from reporting The Federal Home Loan Banks
from reporting requirements
requirements regarding related party
shall be exempt from reporting
regarding related party transactions
transactions and sale of unregistered
requirements regarding related
and sale of unregistered securities.
securities. Tender offer rules shall
party transactions and sale of
Tender offer rules shall not apply to
not apply to transactions in Federal
unregistered securities. Tender
transactions in Federal Home Loan
Home Loan Bank capital stock.
offer rules shall not apply to
Bank capital stock.
(Sec. 205)
transactions in Federal Home
(Sec. 207)
Loan Bank capital stock.
(Sec. 205)
CRS-47
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Limitations on
No comparable provision
The Agency may prohibit or limit, by The agency may prohibit or limit,
Golden Parachutes
regulation or order, any golden
by regulation or order, any
parachute or indemnification
golden parachute or
payment. Sets out criteria that the
indemnification payment that
Agency may consider in deciding
would be received by any
whether to prohibit a payment.
affiliated party when there is a
(These provisions apply to all
reasonable basis to believe that
regulated entities.) (Sec. 112)
the party may have committed
fraud or breach of fiduciary duty
that had a material impact on the
bank’s financial condition, or
where there is a reasonable basis
to believe that the party was
substantially responsible for the
bank’s insolvency, troubled
condition, or for the appointment
of a conservator or receiver, and
other factors. (As in Sec. 111,
“golden parachute” is defined as
a post-employment payment that
would be received by any
enterprise-affiliated party after an
enterprise had become insolvent,
had been determined to be in a
troubled condition, or following
the appointment of a conservator
or receiver.) (Sec. 206)
CRS-48
H.R. 1461 (amendments
Provision
adopted during House
H.R. 1461 (as reported)
S. 190 (as reported)
S. 190 (as introduced)
passage)
Transition Provisions.
Abolishment of
Various provisions dealing with
Various provisions dealing with
Various provisions dealing with
OFHEO and the
abolition of OFHEO and the FHFB,
abolition of OFHEO and the FHFB,
abolition of OFHEO and the
Federal Housing
transfer of certain HUD employees
continuation of certain regulations,
FHFB, continuation of certain
Finance Board
to the agency, continuation of
transfer of property and facilities,
regulations, transfer of property
certain regulations, transfer of
employee rights and benefits, etc.
and facilities, employee rights
property and facilities, employee
(Title III)
and benefits, etc. (Title III)
rights and benefits, etc. (Title III)
Effective Date
Six months after the date of One year after the date of enactment, The date of enactment, except as
The date of enactment, except as
enactment, unless
unless otherwise specified.
specifically provided otherwise.
specifically provided otherwise.
otherwise specified.
(Secs. 184 and 210)
(Sec. 163)
(Sec. 173)