Today, two leading Democratic Members of Congress are raising concerns with the release of final diversity assessment standards by six federal financial regulators, which were called for by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. In a joint statement Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee and chief architect of the provision, known as… Read more »

Today, with just five days for Congress to act before the Export-Import Bank shuts down, Democrats on the Financial Services Committee took to the House floor in an attempt to force a vote to bring legislation to reauthorize, reform and re-energize the Export-Import Bank up for a vote. Using a parliamentary procedure called the "previous question," Democrats are pressing for consideration… Read more »

Following a House panel’s approval of a financial services spending bill, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, criticized Republicans for advancing legislation that would undermine consumer protection, weaken important Wall Street reforms and hurt regulators’ ability to protect our economy. She released the following statement: “This… Read more »

During today’s full committee hearing to discuss the Financial Stability Oversight Council’s annual report with Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee applauded the critical work of the Council in identifying risks to the financial system and protecting American consumers and the overall stability of the economy.… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, praised the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for its announcement to provide reverse mortgage servicers the discretion to allow surviving spouses to stay in their homes in instances where the borrower passes away. Ranking Member Waters has been a leader on this issue, in May… Read more »

During today’s full Committee hearing featuring Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julian Castro, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, highlighted the critical importance of HUD and underscored the need to provide robust funding for the agency’s programs. In opening remarks, the top Democrat noted that… Read more »

With just ten days left for Congress to act before the Export-Import Bank shuts down, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, took to the House floor to call on House Republican leadership to bring renewal legislation to a vote. Stressing the importance of the agency to creating and sustaining American jobs in every corner of the… Read more »

Following the House’s passage of a measure to fund the nation’s housing programs, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, blasted Republicans for undercutting important housing programs that protect our most vulnerable populations. Waters also expressed her disappointment with GOP efforts to bury the debate on the housing title of the… Read more »

Following the House of Representatives’ passage of a bill to renew the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, criticized the measure as an effort to hamstring regulators’ ability to regulate the complex and important derivatives marketplace. Waters blasted the legislation as a multifaceted… Read more »

As the White House intensifies its push for Trade Promotion Authority from Congress so it can conclude talks on the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), yesterday Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, expressed concern that the TPP could undermine essential financial reforms, including those passed as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall… Read more »

As American export businesses continue facing uncertainty regarding the Export-Import Bank’s charter, top Democrats on Thursday continued to press the Republican Majority to bring a legislative proposal to renew and reform the agency to a vote. Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) joined Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Monetary Policy and Trade… Read more »

In the wake of five megabanks pleading guilty to felony charges, a number of prominent Democratic lawmakers are calling on the Department of Labor (DOL) to carefully consider whether to waive sanctions that would be automatically imposed on these institutions stemming from their guilty pleas. The lawmakers today called on DOL to hold a public hearing on any waivers requested by the banks,… Read more »

Leading Democrats on the Senate Banking and House Financial Services Committees today announced the broad support of Democratic Members for legislation to provide targeted relief to small financial institutions and protect consumers. The measure, which was introduced in both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, has the unanimous support of Democratic Members of the… Read more »

As Republicans in Congress continue to run out the clock on the Export-Import Bank, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, condemned the Majority’s continued ideological attacks in the face of bipartisan support from a majority of the House of Representatives. Waters underscored that just 14 legislative days remain until this economic… Read more »

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, is calling on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide meaningful relief and increased transparency for seniors participating in its reverse mortgage program, knowns as the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program (HECM). Waters expressed concern that many senior citizens… Read more »

Following Financial Services Committee Chairman Hensarling’s announcement of the issuance of a subpoena for Federal Reserve documents related to the leak of market-sensitive Fed deliberations, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the Committee’s Ranking Member, released the following statement: “The unauthorized disclosure of confidential information is a serious matter, and the Federal… Read more »

Today, Democrats on the Financial Services Committee upended a markup of 13 measures focused on capital formation for American small businesses to demand immediate action to renew the Export –Import Bank (Ex-Im). Led by Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee, Democrats highlighted the benefits of the Bank in their districts, while noting that with only 18… Read more »

Following guilty pleas by five of the largest banks to criminal violations, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, expressed her disappointment with the Department of Justice’s failure to hold any individuals criminally accountable. In addition, Waters expressed her concern with reports that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will allow… Read more »

During a markup of 13 legislative proposals focused on capital formation for small businesses, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, led her fellow Democrats in criticizing Republicans for failing to consider legislation to renew the charter Export-Import Bank, an entity that helps American businesses grow and create jobs. With only… Read more »

Following reports that five of the largest banks will soon plead guilty to criminal antitrust violations and pay several billion dollars for rigging foreign currencies, the top Democrat on the Financial Services Committee is raising concerns about the possibility that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will allow these banks to continue doing business as usual, by waiving… Read more »

At today’s Financial Services committee hearing on data security breaches, Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) cautioned lawmakers to ensure that any Congressional effort to set national enforcement and notification standards provide a strong federal minimum, ensure flexibility for states to build on those minimum standards and avoid hamstringing their ability to adapt and strengthen them… Read more »

As the House Agriculture Committee considers legislation that would renew the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, expressed concern over provisions that would make changes to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, and weaken derivatives rules. Waters released the following statement: “This… Read more »

At a subcommittee hearing related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, reminded her colleagues as to why bold action was needed in the aftermath of the worst crisis since the Great Depression. She also underscored Dodd-Frank’s popularity with the American public and reiterated the few legislative days… Read more »

Following today’s announcement of subpoenas for three federal agencies by Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the Committee’s Ranking Member, released the following letter laying out her strong objections to the process by which the subpoenas were issued. The letter was sent on Friday, May 8, after she was notified of the Chairman’s… Read more »

In less than 24 hours, an effort to bypass House Republican leadership and force a vote on legislation to extend the Export-Import Bank’s charter has garnered the support of 179 Members of Congress. Led by three key Democratic members of the Financial Services Committee, the lawmakers have signed a discharge petition; a procedure that, if supported by a majority of the House, would… Read more »