Minutes of the Financial Stability Oversight Council

Held January 18, 2011

PRESENT:

Timothy F. Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury and Chairperson of the Financial Stability 

Oversight Council

Sheila Bair, Chairperson, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

Ben Bernanke, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve)

Edward DeMarco, Acting Director, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)

Gary Gensler, Chairman, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

Debbie Matz, Chairman, National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)

Mary Schapiro, Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

John Walsh, Acting Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)

William Haraf, Commissioner, California Department of Financial Institutions (non-voting 

member)

John Huff, Director, Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions, and Professional 

Registration (non-voting member)

David Massey, Deputy Securities Administrator, North Carolina Department of the Secretary of 

State, Securities Division (non-voting member)

GUESTS:

Department of the Treasury

Neal Wolin, Deputy Secretary

Jeffrey Goldstein, Under Secretary for Domestic Finance

Amias Gerety, Senior Advisor

Laurie Schaffer, Assistant General Counsel (Banking and Finance)

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

Daniel Tarullo, Governor

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Cyrus Amir-Mokri, Senior Counsel to the Chairman

Comptroller of the Currency

Tim Long, Senior Deputy Comptroller

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Arthur Murton, Director, Division of Insurance and Research

Federal Housing Finance Agency

Mario Ugoletti, Special Advisor to the Director

National Credit Union Administration

David Marquis, Executive Director of NCUA
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Securities and Exchange Commission

Ricardo Delfin, Special Counsel to the Chairman

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

William Dudley, President and Chief Executive Officer

California Department of Financial Institutions

Michael Stevens, Senior Vice President & Director of Regulatory Affairs, Conference of State 

Bank Supervisors

Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions, and Professional Registration

Mark Sagat, Government Relations Analyst and Counsel, National Association of Insurance 

Commissioners

North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Securities Division

Deborah House, Director of Policy, North American Securities Administrators Association

PRESENTERS

Mortgage Servicing and Foreclosure Issues

• John Walsh, Acting Comptroller of the Currency

• Thomas Perelli, Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice

• David Stevens, Assistant Secretary for Housing and Commissioner of the Federal 

Housing Administration (FHA), Department of Housing and Urban Development

• William Haraf, Commissioner of the California Department of Financial Institutions

• Scott Alvarez, General Counsel, Federal Reserve 

• Michael Alix, Senior Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of New York

• Mario Ugoletti, Special Advisor to the Director, FHFA

Systemic Risk Monitoring Process

• Nellie Liang, Director, Office of Financial Stability Policy and Research, Federal 

Reserve

• Arthur Murton, Director, Division of Insurance and Research, FDIC

• Ricardo Delfin, Special Counsel to the Chairman, SEC

• Cyrus Amir-Mokri, Senior Counsel to the Chairman, CFTC

Section 619 Study (Volcker Rule)

• Mary Miller, Assistant Secretary for Financial Markets, Treasury

• Robert Cook, Director, Division of Trading and Markets, SEC

• Kurt Wilhelm, Director of the Financial Markets Group, OCC

Designations of Financial Markets Utilities

• Lance Auer, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions, Treasury

• Jason Cave, Deputy to the Chairman, FDIC

• Kieran Fallon, Associate General Counsel, Federal Reserve 
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Section 622 Study (Concentration Limit)

• Mark Van der Weide, Chief of Staff for Policy Supervision, Federal Reserve

• Robin Prager, Assistance Director of Research and Statistics, Federal Reserve 

• Amias Gerety, Senior Advisor, Treasury

Executive Session

Secretary Geithner called the executive session of the meeting of the Financial Stability 

Oversight Council (Council) to order at 1 p.m. (EDT). In his opening remarks, the Chairperson

complimented the staff on its hard work in completing the statutorily-mandated studies on time 

and in preparing the other materials for the Council’s consideration. 

The Chairperson then outlined the meeting agenda, which had been previously distributed to the 

member agencies together with copies of the resolutions and other materials. The agenda for the 

meeting included the following subjects: (1) an update on mortgage servicing and foreclosure 

issues; (2) an update on systemic risk monitoring; (3) consideration of, and vote on, the study 

required by section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 

(“DFA”) (Volcker Rule); (4) consideration of, and vote on, the study required by section 622 of 

DFA (concentration limit); (5) consideration of, and vote on, publication of a Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking (NPR) regarding designation of nonbank financial companies for heightened 

supervision; and, (6) consideration of, and vote on, the minutes from the November 23, 2010 

meeting. The Chairperson indicated that the first two items on the agenda would be discussed in 

the executive session and that a mortgage servicing and foreclosure issues update would also be 

provided in the open session as would consideration of, and votes on, the studies and minutes. 

1. Discussion of Mortgage Servicing and Foreclosure Issues

The Chairperson turned to the agenda item regarding an update of mortgage servicing and 

foreclosure issues and asked for an update from the following: John Walsh, Acting Comptroller 

of the Currency, Thomas Perelli, Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice, David 

Stevens, Assistant Secretary for Housing and Commissioner of the FHA, Department of Housing 

and Urban Development, William Haraf, Commissioner of the California Department of 

Financial Institutions, Scott Alvarez, General Counsel, Federal Reserve, Michael Alix, Senior 

Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and Mario Ugoletti, Special Advisor to the 

Director, FHFA. 

The individuals listed above provided presentations concerning: (1) the mortgage processing and 

the foreclosure process including related examinations and investigations; (2) the potential 

impact of mortgage put backs to financial institutions; (3) issues related to securitization trusts; 

and (4) disclosure obligations of financial institutions and servicers. The members of the Council 

asked questions and discussed the mortgage servicing and foreclosure issues. 
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2. Systemic risk monitoring

The Chairperson then turned to the agenda item regarding an update on the work of Deputies 

Committee and the Systemic Risk Committee in developing a process for systemic risk 

monitoring. Members of the Council discussed the work of the Deputies Committee and the 

Systemic Risk Committee. 

Open Session

The Chairperson called the open session of the meeting of the Council to order at 2:05 p.m.

(EDT). The Chairperson presented three resolutions for consideration by the Council. 

1. Discussion and Vote on Resolution Approving the Study and Recommendations 

Required by Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer 

Protection Act (Volcker Rule) 

The Chairperson recognized Mary Miller to give a presentation on the key issues raised in public 

comments and the recommendations contained in the study. After Ms. Miller’s presentation, the 

Chairperson presented to the Council the following resolution approving the Study and 

Recommendations.

“WHEREAS, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “Council”) under the provisions of 

section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “DFA”) is 

required to study and make recommendations on implementing the section 619 provisions; and 

WHEREAS, section 619 of the DFA (commonly referred to as the “Volcker Rule”) generally 

prohibits banking entities from engaging in proprietary trading and from maintaining certain 

relationships with hedge funds and private equity funds; and

WHEREAS, to assist the Council in conducting the study and formulating its recommendations 

concerning the Volcker Rule, the Council published a “Notice and Request for Information” on 

October 6, 2010 seeking public comment on the implementation of the Volcker Rule; and

WHEREAS, staff from the Council Agencies reviewed the public comments received in response 

to the “Notice and Request for Information;” and

WHEREAS, staff from the Council Agencies developed the attached study and recommendations 

pursuant to section 619 of the DFA.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council hereby approves the attached study 

and recommendations prepared under the provisions of section 619 of the DFA and authorizes 

the Chairperson, or his designee, to take such action as necessary to transmit formally the 

attached study and recommendations to the chairmen and ranking members of the House of 

Representatives Committee on Financial Services and the Senate Committee on Banking, 

Housing, and Urban Affairs and to such other committees of the Congress of the United States as 

appropriate and to make the study and recommendations available to the public.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council hereby delegates authority to the Chairperson, 

or his designee, to make technical, nonsubstantive, or conforming changes to the text of the 

attached study and recommendations and to take such other actions as necessary to prepare the 

study and recommendations for release to the Congress and to the public.”

The Chairperson asked for a motion approving the resolution which was made by Chairman 

Gensler and seconded by Chairman Matz. The Council then approved the resolution by 

unanimous voice vote.

2. Discussion and Vote on Resolution Approving the Study and Recommendations 

Required by Section 622 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer 

Protection Act (Concentration Limit) 

The Chairperson recognized Robin Prager to give a presentation on the key issues raised in 

public comments and the recommendations contained in the study. After their presentation, the 

Chairperson presented to the Council the following resolution approving the Study and 

Recommendations.

“WHEREAS, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “Council”) under the provisions of 

section 622 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “DFA”) is 

required to study and make recommendations on implementing the section 622 provisions; and 

WHEREAS, section 622 of the DFA generally prohibits a financial company from merging or 

consolidating with, or acquiring, another company if the resulting company’s consolidated 

liabilities would exceed 10 percent of the aggregate consolidated liabilities of all financial 

companies; and

WHEREAS, staff from the Council Agencies developed the attached study and recommendations 

pursuant to section 622 of the DFA; and

WHEREAS, staff from the Council Agencies recommend that the Council approve the attached 

study and recommendations.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council approves the attached study and 

recommendations prepared under the provisions of section 622 of the DFA and authorizes the 

Chairperson, or his designee, to take such action as necessary to transmit formally the attached 

study and recommendations to the chairmen and ranking members of the House of 

Representatives Committee on Financial Services and the Senate Committee on Banking, 

Housing, and Urban Affairs and to such other committees of the Congress of the United States as 

appropriate and to otherwise make it available to the public as the Chairperson deems 

appropriate; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council hereby authorizes the Chairperson, or his 

designee, to publish the recommendations in the Federal Register for the purpose of seeking 

public comment on such recommendations, and to take such other actions and issue such other 

documents incident and related to the foregoing as the Chairperson, or his designee, deems 
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necessary or appropriate to fulfill the Council's objectives in connection with its publication; 

and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council hereby delegates authority to the Chairperson, 

or his designee, to make technical, nonsubstantive, or conforming changes to the text of the 

attached study and recommendations and to take such other actions as necessary to prepare the 

study and recommendations for release to the Congress and the public.”

The Chairperson asked for a motion to approve the resolution which was made by Chairperson 

Bair and seconded by Acting Comptroller Walsh. The Council then approved the resolution by 

unanimous voice vote.

3. Resolution approving the publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding 

designations of nonbank financial companies

The Chairperson recognized Lance Auer to provide a presentation on the major components of 

the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking including changes that were made to address the key issues 

raised in the comment letters. After Mr. Auer’s presentation, the Chairperson presented to the 

Council the following resolution approving publication of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. 

“WHEREAS, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “Council”) was established by the 

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “DFA”) for the purposes of 

“(A) ...identify[ing] risk to the financial stability of the United States that could arise from the 

material financial distress or failure, or ongoing activities, of large, interconnected bank holding 

companies or nonbank financial companies, or that could arise outside the financial services 

marketplace; (B) . . . promot[ing] market discipline, by eliminating expectations on the part of 

shareholders, creditors, and counterparties of such companies that the Government will shield 

them from losses in the event of failure; and (C) . . . respond[ing] to emerging threats to the 

stability of the United States financial system;” and 

WHEREAS, section 113 of the DFA gives the Council the authority to require that a nonbank 

financial company be supervised by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and 

be subject to prudential standards if the Council determines that material financial distress at 

such a firm, or the nature, scope, size, scale, concentration, interconnectedness, or mix of the 

activities of the firm, could pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the Council published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (“ANPR”) on 

October 6, 2010, through which it sought public comment to gather information in developing 

the criteria and analytical framework by which it will consider designating nonbank financial 

companies for enhanced supervision under the DFA; and

WHEREAS, the staffs of the Council Agencies have reviewed the public comments received in 

response to the ANPR and have prepared a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPR”) that, 

consistent with the DFA, describes the criteria that will inform the Council’s designation of 

nonbank financial companies for enhanced supervision under the DFA and sets forth the process 

for the Council’s consideration of such designations; and
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WHEREAS, staff from the Council Agencies recommend that the Council approve the attached 

NPR and publish it as set forth in the attached Federal Register document.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council hereby approves the NPR and 

authorizes the Chairperson, or his designee, to cause the attached NPR to be published in the 

Federal Register, in a form and manner acceptable to the Chairperson, or his designee, and to 

otherwise make it available to the public as the Chairperson deems appropriate.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council hereby delegates authority to the Chairperson, 

or his designee, to make technical, nonsubstantive, or conforming changes to the text of the 

attached Federal Register document to ensure that the Council can issue the attached NPR in the 

Federal Register, and to take such other actions and issue such other documents incident and 

related to the foregoing as the Chairperson, or his designee, deems necessary or appropriate to 

fulfill the Council's objectives in connection with its publication.”

The Chairperson asked for a motion to approve the resolution which was made by Chairperson 

Bair and seconded by Chairman Schapiro. The Council then approved the resolution by 

unanimous voice vote.

The Chairperson then recognized Acting Comptroller Walsh to provide an update on the 

mortgage servicing and foreclosure issues. After the update on the mortgage servicing and 

foreclosure issues, the Chairperson presented a fourth resolution approving the minutes for the 

November 23, 2010 meeting for consideration by the Council. 

4. Resolution approving the minutes of the November 23, 2010 meeting

“BE IT RESOLVED, by the Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “Council”) that the 

minutes attached hereto of the November 23, 2010 meeting of the Council are hereby approved”. 

The Chairperson asked for a motion to approve the resolution which was made by Acting 

Comptroller Walsh and seconded by Chairman Bernanke. The Council then approved the 

resolution by unanimous voice vote.

The Chairperson then asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting which was made by Chairman 

Gensler. The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at approximately 2:50 p.m. (EDT).