The Senate is set to begin teeing up housing finance reform discussions at a Banking Committee hearing on Thursday, but many are skeptical that Congress will be able to succeed where it has failed in the past.
Federal regulators supported several changes the banking industry has been seeking in an appearance before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday, acknowledging the need to limit the Volcker Rule and better define systemically important banks.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo sounded optimistic Thursday about reaching a bipartisan deal for regulatory relief, but a hearing once again emphasized the gulf between what lawmakers are likely to pass and what the industry is seeking.
Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, welcomed Treasury Department recommendations on how to reform financial regulations and expressed optimism that many of the suggestions could become law.
Senators on both sides of the aisle paid lip service Thursday to giving relief to community banks and credit unions, but didn't appear closer to specifics of what would be in a bill.
While a House bill expected to be passed this week has little chance in the Senate, some of its individual provisions could be enacted by Congress, including one aimed at banks' systemic threshold.
FHFA Director Mel Watt warned Thursday that to prevent a potential draw on the Treasury Department by the government-sponsored enterprises, he is willing to act unilaterally to rebuild capital at Fannie and Freddie.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's upcoming report on how to rewrite financial regulation is likely to end up looking very similar to a Dodd-Frank overhaul plan in the House.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling said they believed an agreement on housing finance reform could be struck in this Congress.
