Daily Financial Regulation Update -- Saturday, February 19, 2022

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Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

Hearing: Small Businesses, Big Impact: Ensuring Small and Minority-Owned Businesses Share in the Economic Recovery

February 18, 2022

The U.S. House Committee on Financial Services conducted a hearing titled, "Small Businesses, Big Impact: Ensuring Small and Minority-Owned Businesses Share in the Economic Recovery."

• Committee Memorandum
• Hearing Page
• Chair Waters Statement

Federal Agencies

U.S. Department of the Treasury

Statement: G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting Communiqué

February 18, 2022

The U.S. Department of the Treasury published the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting Communiqué.

• Communiqué

Federal Reserve Board

FOMC Formally Adopts Comprehensive New Rules for Investment and Trading Activity

February 18, 2022

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced that it unanimously formally adopted comprehensive new rules for the investment and trading activity of senior officials. The rules, which were first announced in October 2021, aim to support public confidence in the impartiality and integrity of the FOMC's work by guarding against even the appearance of any conflict of interest.

• Policy
• Press Release

Speech: Governor Brainard on Preparing for the Financial System of the Future

February 18, 2022

Federal Reserve System Governor Lael Brainard gave a speech titled, "Preparing for the Financial System of the Future," at the 2022 U.S. Monetary Policy Forum.

• Speech

Speech: Governor Waller's Comments on "Some Benefits and Risks of a Hot Economy"

February 18, 2022

Federal Reserve System Governor Christopher J. Waller gave a speech titled, "Comments on 'Some Benefits and Risks of a Hot Economy,'" at the 2022 U.S. Monetary Policy Forum.

• Speech

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Bulletin: CFPB Steps Up Scrutiny of Student Loan Servicers That Deceive Borrowers About Public Service Loan Forgiveness

February 18, 2022

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a bulletin detailing student loan servicers' obligation to halt unlawful conduct regarding borrowers' eligibility and benefits under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Waiver. The bulletin recommends actions servicers should consider taking to ensure they do not misrepresent borrower eligibility or make deceptive statements to borrowers about the PSLF program and the Waiver.

• Press Release
• Bulletin

Inaccurate Small Business Credit Reports Can Block Access to Loans

February 18, 2022

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau published a blog post titled, "Inaccurate Small Business Credit Reports Can Block Access to Loans."

• Comment Letter
• Blog Post

International

Bank of England

Paper: Competition, Profitability and Financial Leverage

February 18, 2022

The Bank of England published a staff working paper titled, "Competition, Profitability, and Financial Leverage."

• Working Paper

Administration Changes

Vacancies

Federal Reserve Board

• Vice Chair for Supervision – Sarah Bloom Raskin nominated January 14, 2022 (nomination hearing held on February 3, 2022)
• Governor – Lisa Cook nominated January 14, 2022
  (nomination hearing held on February 3, 2022)
• Governor – Phillip Jefferson, nominated January 14, 2022
  (nomination hearing held on February 3, 2022)

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

• Chair – Vacant (Martin Gruenberg serves as Acting Chair)
• Vice Chairman

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

• Comptroller – Vacant (Michael Hsu serves as Acting Comptroller)

Commodity Futures Commission

• Three (3) Commissioner Vacancies

Appointments/Confirmation Hearings

U.S. Department of the Treasury - Janet Yellen (effective January 26, 2021)

• Treasury Announces New Acting Director of the Office of Financial Research (February 18, 2022)

Federal Reserve Board

• Statement by Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell on his nomination by President Biden (November 22, 2021)
• Statement by Governor Lael Brainard on her nomination by President Biden (November 22, 2021)
• Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen Statement on Federal Reserve Nominations (November 22, 2021)
• Statement by Secretary Walsh on Federal Reserve Nominations (November 22, 2021)
• Brown Statement on the Renomination of Jerome Powell for Fed Chair (November 22, 2021)
• Toomey Statement on Renomination of Jerome Powell for Fed Chair (November 22, 2021)
• Brown Applauds Biden's Nomination of Governor Lael Brainard for Vice Chair (November 22, 2021)
• Brown Applauds Biden's Nominees for Fed Board (January 14, 2022)
• Toomey Statement on President Biden's Fed Nominees (January 14, 2022)
• Waters Applauds Nominations of Sarah Bloom Raskin, Lisa Cook, and Philip Jefferson to Leadership Roles in the Federal Reserve (January 14, 2022)
• Statement by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen on Federal Reserve Nominations (January 14, 2022)

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

• New York Fed Names Michelle Neal as Head of the Markets Group (January 20, 2022)

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - Rohit Chopra (effective October 12, 2021)

• Statement by House Committee on Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters on Rohit Chopra's Confirmation (September 30, 2021)
• CSBS Statement on Rohit Chopra Confirmation as CFPB Director (September 30, 2021)

Securities and Exchange Commission - Gary Gensler (effective April 17, 2021)

• LizAnn Eisen Joins Division of Corporation Finance as Deputy Director, Disclosure Program (January 27, 2022)
• Lori H. Price Named Acting Director of the Office of Credit Ratings; Ahmed Abonamah to Leave SEC (February 1, 2022)
• Kelly L. Gibson, Director of the Philadelphia Regional Office, to Leave the SEC; Scott Thompson and Joy Thompson named Office Acting Co-Heads (February 11, 2022)

Small Business Administration - Isabella Casillas Guzman (effective March 16, 2021)

• Statement by Administrator Guzman Applauding President Biden's Appointees to Lead SBA Regional Offices (November 18, 2021)
• Statement by Administrator Guzman Applauding President Biden's New Appointees to the U.S. Small Business Administration (December 6, 2021)
• Statement by Administrator Guzman Applauding President Biden's New Appointees to the U.S. Small Business Administration (January 25, 2022)

Commodity Futures Trade Commission – Rostin Behnam (effective December 17, 2021)

• Kristin Johnson, Nominee for Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (September 13, 2021)
• Christy Goldsmith Romero, Nominee for Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (September 13, 2021)
• U.S. Senate Unanimously Confirms Behnam as Chairman (December 17, 2021)
• CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam Announces Executive Staff Appointments (January 20, 2022)
• CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam Appoints Initial CFTC Leadership (January 25, 2022)

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network

• FinCEN Announces Acting Director and New Deputy Director (April 2, 2021)

National Credit Union Administration - Todd M. Harper

• Anthony Cappetta Appointed President of the Central Liquidity Facility (January 26, 2022)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Marcia Fudge (effective March 10, 2021)

• Adrianne Todman Sworn in as Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (June 15, 2021)
• Statement from Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on the Confirmation of Alanna McCargo (December 15, 2021)
• Statement from Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on the Confirmation of Alanna McCargo (February 15, 2022)

Federal Housing Finance Agency – Sandra L. Thompson

• Brown Statement on the Selection of Sandra Thompson to Lead FHFA (December 14, 2021)
• Waters Applauds Biden's Nomination of Sandra L. Thompson as Permanent Director of the FHFA (December 14, 2021)
• Statement from HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on the Nomination of Sandra Thompson (December 14, 2021)

U.S. Department of Education - Dr. Miguel Cardona (effective March 2, 2021)

• Secretary Cardona Statement on Confirmation of Education Department Officials Brown, Rodriguez and Graham (October 6, 2021)
• Statement from Secretary Miguel Cardona on the Confirmation of Catherine Lhamon as Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights (October 20, 2021)
• Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on the Confirmation of Sandra Bruce as the Department's Inspector General (December 3, 2021)
• Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on President Biden's Nomination of LaWanda Toney (December 16, 2021)

PH Client Alerts

Click here to read more from our Coronavirus series.

Legislation/Legislative Updates

Click here to view the full text of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act"), Enacted March 27, 2020.

Click here to view the full text of the Paycheck Protection Program Increase Act of 2020, Enacted April 24, 2020.

Click here to view the full text of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, Enacted June 5, 2020.

Click here to view the full text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Enacted December 27, 2020.

Click here to view the full text of the American Rescue Plan of 2021, Enacted March 11, 2021.

Click here to view the full text of the PPP Extension Act of 2021, Enacted March 30, 2021.

Click here to view a running list of proposed legislation from the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, House Committee on Financial Services, and House Committee on Small Business.