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WSJ Editorial | January 5, 2014 The prospects for progress on Capitol Hill this year are few, but one possibility is reform of federal housing policy. With home prices rising and the economy growing, now is a good time to pare back the government support that has too often led to unsustainable housing booms and taxpayer busts. Consider the Obama Administration's latest report to Congress on the Federal Housing Administration. The Department of Housing and Urban Development noted last month that the FHA has a negative $1.3 billion net worth, and that's after a $1.7 billion Treasury capital inf... Read More »

Earlier this month Chairman Hensarling and Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Campbell announced the committee's “Federal Reserve Centennial Oversight Project” – an aggressive series of hearings slated during 2014 that will culminate in the markup of legislation to reform how the nation’s central bank operates. The Oversight Project coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Fed’s creation later this month, as well as the expected Senate confirmation of a new Federal Reserve chairman. “The Federal Reserve Centennial Oversight Project will be the most vigorous and sustained assess... Read More »

Congressman John Campbell (Twitter | Facebook) delivers this week's Sunday Video Message on the committee's Federal Reserve Centennial Oversight Project. Read More »

The House is in session Monday through Friday this week -- the last week of session and committee activity currently scheduled for 2013. Here's what's happening: On Thursday at 9:30 a.m., Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will testify on the state of the international finance system. The full committee will then meet again at 2 p.m. to rethink the Federal Reserve's many mandates on its 100-year anniversary. Be sure to check back here on the Bottom Line Blog -- and sign up for our email updates -- for additional information throughout the week. Read More »

Congressman Robert Hurt (Twitter | Facebook) delivers this week's Sunday Video Message on H.R. 1105, the Small Business Capital Access & Job Preservation Act. H.R. 1105 passed the House with strong bipartisan support last week. Read More »

Since 1893, Owingsville Banking Company (OBC) has served the citizens of rural Bath County Kentucky. The bank endured the Great Depression, the stagflation of the 1970s and, most recently, the Great Recession. Today, however, OBC faces a new challenge -- not the difficult market conditions of this tepid economic recovery, but an avalanche of Washington regulations. In the above video (at the 4:50 mark), fifth generation banker Thomas Richards testified that the "frightening" regulatory environment created by Dodd-Frank and enforced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) could wipe... Read More »

The Problem: Excessive and unnecessary regulations hurt our economy, increase costs and restrict access to private sector capital that our nation’s job creators need to grow the economy and create jobs. The Example: Title IV of the Dodd-Frank Act imposes new registration and reporting requirements on hedge funds and private equity firms. Specifically, Title IV requires investment advisers to private investment funds to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. As a result of Title IV’s registration requirements, advisers to private fu... Read More »

The House is in session Monday through Thursday this week and will consider one Financial Services Committee bill. Be sure to check back here on the Bottom Line Blog -- and sign up for our email updates -- for additional information throughout the week. Here's whats happening: On Wednesday at 10 a.m. the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee will hold a legislative hearing on regulatory relief bills in 2128 Rayburn. And on Wednesday afternoon, the House will consider H.R. 1105, the Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act. Read More »

Chairman Hensarling Op-Ed | November 27, 2013 Persistently weak job growth, higher taxes on families and record-breaking government debt are the hallmarks of the failed economic experiment known as Obamanomics. It is an experiment made up of many policies, but its core revolves around one central belief: A larger, more powerful, more intrusive government can and should fix every problem. The fact that you can no longer keep your health insurance, even if you like it, is yet more proof that government today has more control over our lives than ever. Perhaps nowhere is the presence of governmen... Read More »

Congressman Robert Pittenger (Twitter | Facebook) delivers this week's Sunday Video Message on the dangerously unaccountable Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The committee approved six bills to reform the CFPB last week. Read More »