As the House of Representatives considered legislation weakening Wall Street’s cash-strapped regulators, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, delivered sharp remarks rebuking H.R. 50, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2015. Dubbing it as ‘anti-consumer,’ Waters criticized the burdensome, time-consuming rulemaking… Read more »

Following the Securities and Exchange Commission’s decision to waive sanctions against Oppenheimer & Co., today Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, expressed her disappointment that the SEC issued such a broad waiver of sanctions to a company with an extensive recidivist history. Waters’ comments come as SEC Commissioners Aguilar… Read more »

Following the release of newly drafted non-bank servicer requirements today, Congresswoman Member Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, commended the Federal Housing Finance Agency for taking positive steps toward establishing protections to prevent American homeowners and taxpayers from falling victim to fraud and abuse. Waters, a strong… Read more »

In advance of testimony by Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Mel Watt before the House Financial Services Committee, Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) commended the Agency’s efforts to ensure that America’s housing market remains affordable and works for everyone. At a hearing to receive an “An Update from the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency,” which is… Read more »

Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) today announced subcommittee assignments for the Democratic Members of the House Financial Services Committee. The Ranking Members of each subcommittee were chosen through a selection process based on seniority, with the confirmation of all Committee members. Positions on each subcommittee were secured through an open-bidding process in which all… Read more »

In remarks at the Financial Services Committee markup of its Oversight Plan, which is required by House rules to outline Committee work during the 114th session of Congress, Ranking Member Maxine Waters underscored some of her top priorities for the coming two years. Acknowledging a modest departure from the more contentious oversight plan of the 113th Congress, the Ranking Member… Read more »

Following President Obama’s State of the Union address, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, praised the President for underscoring the importance of the Wall Street Reform Act and making clear he will veto any legislative effort to undermine it. Waters, a tireless advocate for protection the law, also praised the President for… Read more »

In advance of the Department of Labor’s (DOL) historic hearing on Credit Suisse’s petition to continue managing certain assets following a criminal conviction, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), who requested the hearing, commended the Department and urged it to deny the bank’s waiver. At the rare public hearing, Credit Suisse’s affiliated qualified professional asset managers (QPAMs)… Read more »

Democrats, led by Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee garnered 154 “no” votes against H.R. 37, a controversial Republican package of 11 bills that will roll back certain portions of the Wall Street Reform Act. Last week, House Democrats defeated Republican efforts to fast track the same measure through a process known as suspension of the… Read more »

During a debate that did not begin until well into the evening, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, led House Democratic members in strong opposition to H.R. 37, a harmful package of 11 bills that will roll back certain portions of the Wall Street Reform Act. The legislation contains harmful provisions that undermine Dodd-Frank,… Read more »

Today, Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA) and Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA), two prominent members of the Financial Services Committee, issued a statement regarding the announcement that Direct Edge will pay a $14 million fine to settle charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission that they failed to disclose how some order types, created at the behest of high frequency… Read more »

Following the news that the State of California is seeking to suspend Ocwen Financial Corp's license to operate in the state, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, praised the action, which was taken following Ocwen’s failure to respond to requests for information from state regulators. She released the following statement:… Read more »

Today, as the House Financial Services Committee met for the first time in the 114th Congress to consider its rules, Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) criticized a proposal by Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) to dramatically change the Committee’s rules. Of the many proposed changes, the most egregious include providing unilateral authority to the Chairman to issue and authorize… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, gave the following testimony before the House Rules Committee on H.R. 37, a package of 11 bills designed to undermine the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. She also spoke out against H.R. 185 which, among other provisions, places onerous cost-benefit analysis requirements on federal… Read more »

As 2014 came to a close, Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) joined with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and 22 other current and former lawmakers to support a doctrine that for years has been used to end discriminatory practices that create barriers to housing based on race, color, national origin,… Read more »

Following the announcement by the House Rules Committee that on Monday it will consider H.R. 37, a package of 11 bills designed to undermine important Wall Street regulation, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, criticized House Republicans for continuing to push legislation benefitting Wall Street at the hands of American consumers. This… Read more »

Congresswoman Maxine Waters(D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, issued the following statement following Senate passage of legislation to renew the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), a critical insurance backstop that provides important protections for construction jobs, venues and regional economies across America: “ I applaud the U.S. Senate for swiftly… Read more »

Following President Obama’s announcement that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will reduce annual mortgage insurance premiums, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, praised the action as critical for the nation’s homebuyers. In October, 2014, Waters and Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing… Read more »

Upon passage of legislation to renew the expired Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Committee and a strong advocate for the program’s renewal, released the following statement: “I’m pleased that House Republicans have recognized the damage caused by the 11th hour brinksmanship that led to TRIA’s expiration. I… Read more »

Today, after leading the effort to oppose House Republicans’ renewed attack on the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA), praised Democrats for standing strong to oppose, and ultimately defeat, the measure. Republicans attempted to move a package of 11 bills that contained controversial changes to provisions relating to derivatives and Volcker rule.… Read more »

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, today released the following statement on the passing of Senator Edward Brooke, the first African American elected to the U.S. Senate post-reconstruction: “I join a grateful nation in mourning the loss of a great public servant, Senator Edward Brooke. As the first African American popularly-elected to… Read more »

Upon the news of the U.S. Senate’s failure to reauthorize the critical Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, released the following statement: "I'm saddened and disappointed that the U.S. Senate was unable to renew the critical Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. The death of TRIA is the direct result of Chairman… Read more »

The top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee is calling on President Barack Obama and his administration to “rethink its current strategy for preserving public housing,” raising significant concerns with its current approach. In a Letter to the President, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the Committee’s Ranking Member, expressed concern about the expansion of what has… Read more »

The top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), today took her opposition to a provision that could bring back an era of Wall Street bailouts to the House floor. In a fiery speech, Waters expressed her concerns with a Wall Street-authored provision that repeals important taxpayer protections against reckless bank activity enacted as part of… Read more »

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, said today that she is “increasingly optimistic” that her Democratic colleagues will join together to halt a Wall Street-authored provision that repeals important taxpayer protections against reckless bank activity enacted as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. The provision was… Read more »