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Speeches and Committee Statements

Waters Statement in Opposition to Bill that Rolls Back Important Dodd-Frank Rules for Large Banks

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Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, gave the following floor statement in opposition to H.R. 3312, a bill that would deregulate some of the largest banks: Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3312, the Systemic Risk Designation Improvement Act. At a time when big banks are doing very well and the industry…

Waters Warns of Risks to Financial Stability, Consumer Protection and American Freedoms under Trump

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In her opening statement at a full committee hearing with Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, denounced President-elect Trump’s stances on financial services and Congressional Republicans’ deregulatory Wall Street agenda. “The demise of the regulations that Wall Street is…

Waters to Stumpf: ‘This is Just the Beginning’

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In her opening statement at a full committee hearing on the unauthorized accounts at Wells Fargo, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, urged Chairman and CEO John Stumpf to tell the truth about the fraudulent activity that occurred and take full responsibility. “We still do not have the information we need to understand how this…

Waters: Wells Fargo Fraud Underscores Need for Strong Fed Supervision

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, stressed the need for robust regulatory oversight of financial institutions in her opening statement at a hearing today with Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen. “The Dodd-Frank Act has required regulators to increase capital and liquidity standards, reduce interconnection in the financial…

Waters Stresses Importance of FSOC, Wall Street Reform in Wake of Wells Fargo Scandal

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, discussed the importance of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) in keeping our financial system safe at a hearing today with Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew on the FSOC’s annual report to Congress. “With Wall Street reform, we created the FSOC to look across the entire financial…

On House Floor, Waters Warns that Iran Reporting Bill Could Destabilize Nuclear Deal

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Delivering remarks on the House floor in opposition to H.R. 5461 today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, denounced the “Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act” as an attempt to threaten the viability of the Iran nuclear deal. In her remarks, Waters noted that this bill is the “latest in a series of Republican efforts aimed…

Waters: GOP Wall Street Deregulation Plan is the Wrong Choice for America

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, derided Republicans’ reckless plan to repeal Wall Street Reform during Committee consideration of H.R. 5983. In her opening statement, Waters noted that “nearly all the rules we enacted to make banks safer and stronger would be repealed, and replaced by a phony choose-your-own regulatory regime…

Waters Leads Efforts to Oppose Private Equity Giveaways

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During general debate on H.R. 5424 on the House floor today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, led opposition to the measure, which would roll back Dodd-Frank’s much-needed oversight and transparency measures for private equity funds, hedge funds, and others in the shadow banking industry. In her remarks, Waters lamented that the…

On House Floor, Waters Denounces Republican Attempts to Weaken Investor Protections

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During floor consideration of H.R. 2357, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of Committee on Financial Services, urged rejection of the bill, which would harm American investors and small businesses and thwart regulators’ abilities to police the markets against fraud. In her remarks, Ranking Member Waters criticized House Republicans for “prioritizing a bill that would…

Waters: Republicans Pass Reckless Iran Financing Bill, Leave Important Issues on the Table

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As the House considered H.R. 4992, the so-called “United States Financial System Protection Act,” Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, called out Republicans for rushing a harmful bill to the floor on the last day of session as part of their “reckless and politically driven ‘Iran week’ agenda.” In floor remarks opposing the bill,…

At Markup, Waters Opposes GOP Efforts to Undermine Iran Nuclear Deal

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In opening remarks during a Financial Services Committee markup today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the Committee’s Ranking Member, expressed concern with legislation that would violate or undermine the U.S.’s commitments under the Iran nuclear deal. “We are considering two pieces of legislation today that would have serious consequences for our ability to uphold the Iran…

Waters Criticizes Republicans for Politically-Charged Hearing with HUD Secretary

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In opening remarks at a House Financial Services Committee hearing today with Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) criticized Republicans for “hijacking a very important topic in order to launch attacks on the Secretary, and the Department, rather than substantively examine the issues impacting working people in this country.” …

Waters: Wrong Choice Act Gives Banks a ‘Hall Pass’ from Wall Street Reform

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In opening remarks during a Financial Services Committee hearing today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the Committee’s Ranking Member, denounced Republicans’ deregulatory agenda that puts the needs of special interests above working Americans. Waters noted that Chairman Hensarling’s legislation, the “Wrong Choice Act,” to gut Dodd-Frank would make “radical changes to our…

At Hearing, Waters Commends Fed Chair Yellen’s Cautious Approach on Monetary Policy

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In opening remarks during today’s semi-annual Humphrey-Hawkins hearing with Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, lauded the Federal Reserve Chair’s cautious approach to raising rates and her work to increase economic inclusion. Waters touted the actions taken by the Fed, the Administration and…

During Markup, Waters Warns of Risk to Investors, Consumers with Proposals to Roll Back Regulatory Framework

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In opening remarks during a Financial Services Committee markup today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the Committee’s Ranking Member, pushed back against Republican efforts to dismantle Wall Street reforms, including much-needed investor and consumer protections. Waters noted that while she supports some of the measures under consideration, she is dismayed by broader Republican…

Waters Delivers Major Speech to AFL-CIO on State of U.S. Monetary Policy

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, today delivered a major speech at an AFL-CIO conference on monetary policy in the United States. In her remarks, Ranking Member Waters said the Federal Reserve should pay due consideration to the needs of workers when setting interest rate policy and expressed concerns about the impact of any…

On House Floor, Waters Denounces Fake Republican Poverty Agenda

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, spoke on the House floor today about the state of homelessness in the United States and how the Republican poverty plan does nothing to address this crisis. In her remarks, Ranking Member Waters noted that the recently introduced Republican poverty agenda, “would only exacerbate homelessness and…

Waters Statement at Subcommittee Hearing on the Federal Reserve’s Interest on Excess Reserve Payments

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Congresswoman Member Maxine Waters, Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, submitted the following statement for the record at a Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee hearing titled “Interest on Reserves and the Fed’s Balance Sheet”: Thank you Chairman Huizenga and Ranking Member Moore for organizing today’s hearing. As we look at the Fed’s implementation of…

Waters Denounces Republican Efforts to Dismantle DOL ‘Fiduciary Duty’ Rule

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In remarks on the House floor today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, took a strong stand against H.J. Res. 88, a Republican measure that seeks to dismantle the Labor Department’s recently finalized rule governing investment advice for retirement accounts. In her remarks, Ranking Member Waters noted that resolution would…

Waters Urges Bipartisan Compromise on H.R. 4498 During Floor Debate

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During floor consideration of H.R. 4498, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, said the measure could lead to unnecessary and harmful loopholes in our securities laws.‎ The measure would roll back a requirement enacted under the JOBS Act for companies selling private offerings to first verify that a purchaser is an accredited…

In Floor Remarks, Waters Leads Efforts to Oppose H.R. 3340

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During floor consideration of H.R. 3340, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, urged rejection of the bill, which would undermine the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and the Office of Financial Research (OFR) by subjecting their funding to Congressional appropriations and interfering with their research.‎ The OFR and the…

In Floor Remarks, Waters Denounces Partisan Change to Small Bank Policy Statement

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In remarks on the House floor today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, led Democrats in opposition to H.R. 3791, which would increase by fivefold the asset threshold under the Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement, encouraging more consolidation of small community banks and endangering their safety and soundness. In her…

Waters Opposes Legislation to Weaken Wall Street Reforms

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At a Financial Services Committee markup of two bills designed to undercut the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, denounced the measures as efforts to disarm our financial regulators and weaken reforms established after the 2008 crisis. Waters criticized both…

Waters Opening Statement at Full Committee Hearing on the State of the International Financial System

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At today’s Financial Services Committee hearing with Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) lauded the efforts of U.S. Treasury officials and Democratic congressional leaders on the recent ratification of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) quota reform package, after a 5-year delay due to Republican obstruction. Waters delivered these remarks during…

At Cordray Hearing, Waters Applauds CFPB’s Work and Accomplishments

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In opening remarks during today’s full Committee hearing with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, praised the agency’s work to diligently protect consumers and ensure fairness in the financial system, even in the face of Republican efforts to undermine, eliminate and render…

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