zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
HAMP Termination Act of 2011 - Amends the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to terminate the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to provide new mortgage modification assistance under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), except with respect to existing obligations on behalf of homeowners already extended an offer to participate in the program.

Date: 2011-03-09
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Debit Interchange Fee Study Act of 2011 - Amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to extend from 9 months after the date of enactment of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act the rulemaking timelines and effective dates for the proposed debit interchange (swipe) rule of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) that is required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Declares void and without legal effect any regulation proposed or prescribed by the Board pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act before the date that is 6 months after completion of the study required by this Act. Directs specified banking regulatory agencies (study agencies) to study jointly and report to certain congressional committees regarding the impact of regulating debit interchange transaction (swipe) fees and related issues under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. Prescribes study contents including the costs and benefits of electronic debit card transactions (EDTs) and alternative forms of payment, including cash, check, and automated clearing house (ACH) for consumers, merchants, issuers, and debit card networks.

Date: 2011-03-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Office of the Homeowner Advocate Act of 2011 - Establishes in the Department of the Treasury the Office of the Homeowner Advocate to assist homeowners, housing counselors, and housing lawyers in resolving problems with the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) of the Making Home Affordable initiative of the Secretary of the Treasury, authorized under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Prohibits any modification of a mortgage under the Making Home Affordable Program, or with any funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), unless the servicer of the mortgage loan has determined, in accordance with standards and requirements established by the Secretary, that the mortgagor cannot afford to make payments under the terms of the existing mortgage loan. (Thus prohibits participation in such Program for borrowers who strategically default.) Requires the Secretary to revise the guidelines for HAMP to establish that the data collected by the Secretary from each mortgage servicer and lender participating in the Program is made public at the individual record level in a specified manner.

Date: 2011-03-30
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act of 2011 or HEARTH Act of 2011 - Extends to any Indian tribe the discretion granted under current law only to the Navajo Nation to lease restricted lands for business, agricultural, public, religious, educational, recreational, or residential purposes without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior. (The Secretary must still approve the tribal regulations under which those leases are executed and mining leases still require the Secretary's approval.) Sets forth the environmental review process required under tribal lease regulations before those regulations obtain the Secretary's approval. Requires the process to identify and evaluate any significant effects a proposed lease may have on the environment and allow public comment on those effects. Allows tribes to rely on a federal environmental review process rather than the tribal environmental review process if the project under review is federally funded. Directs the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to report to Congress on the history and experience of Indian tribes that have chosen to assume the BIA's responsibility for operating the Indian Land Title and Records Office.

Date: 2011-03-31
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Native Americans
Responsible Consumer Financial Protection Regulations Act of 2011 - Amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, title X of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, to replace the position of Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection with a five-member Commission whose members are appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Prohibits the Chair of the Commission from making requests for estimates related to appropriations without the prior approval of the Commission. Revises procedures for funding the Bureau. Eliminates the Consumer Financial Protection Fund and the requirement that the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System transfer funds to the Bureau from the combined earnings of the Federal Reserve System. Authorizes appropriations for FY2011-FY2012.

Date: 2011-04-06
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Financial and Economic Literacy Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award formula matching grants to states or partnerships between states and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education. Requires grantees to use 25% of the grant funds to: (1) develop financial literacy standards and assessments for at least three grade levels, (2) create teacher training programs to embed financial literacy or personal finance education into core academic subjects, and (3) evaluate the impact such education has on students' financial literacy. Requires the remaining grant funds to be used for subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and community organizations, local businesses, or other educational entities to implement such financial literacy activities, including student assessments and teacher training. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or partnerships between IHEs and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education for activities that increase student knowledge in consumer, economic, and personal financial concepts.

Date: 2011-04-12
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Education
Foreclosure Fraud and Homeowner Abuse Prevention Act of 2011 - Amends the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 to include within its purview mortgage-backed securities and their servicers. Imposes upon each servicer of a mortgage-backed security a fiduciary duty, not waivable by an investor, to protect the economic interests of the investors as a whole in an asset-backed security. Provides for removal of an indenture trustee that is a servicer of mortgage-backed securities if at least 50% of the investors petition the court for such removal. Authorizes amendment of a pooling and servicing agreement with respect to any mortgage-backed security without the consent of a majority of the security holders if at least 25% of them petition the court for such action. Defines such an agreement as any contract establishing the transaction rights and duties of the parties to a mortgage-backed securitization transaction. Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to promulgate specified requirements governing mortgage related securities. Amends the Truth In Lending Act (TILA) to prohibit the servicer of a securitized residential mortgage loan (or an affiliate) from owning or holding any interest in any other residential mortgage loan that is secured by a consensual security interest on the same dwelling or residential real property that is subject to the security interest that secures the securitized residential mortgage loan. Amends the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (RESPA) to require all fees charged for a real estate settlement service in connection with a transaction involving a federally related mortgage loan, or incurred in connection with servicing such loan, to be reasonably related to the cost of providing the service. Sets forth specified prohibitions, restrictions, or requirements for: (1) use of subsidiaries and insourcing, (2) force-placed insurance, (3) disclosures related to insurance coverage information, and (4) loss mitigation. Amends TILA to: (1) prescribe the treatment of mistaken loan payments during the period that servicing of a loan is in transition, and (2) set limitations upon foreclosure proceedings. Amends the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to: (1) bring within its purview a securitized residential mortgage loan and its servicer, and (2) subject to civil liability a debt collector who violates such Act in connection with a debt secured by a consumer's residence. Directs: (1) federal banking agencies to promulgate independent capital reserve standards for affiliates of mortgage-backed securities servicers, and (2) the SEC to promulgate regulations regarding treatment of delinquent loans.

Date: 2011-04-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Financial Literacy for Students Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to states to: (1) integrate financial literacy and entrepreneurship education into their public middle and secondary schools, and (2) provide training to financial literacy or entrepreneurship teachers in such schools. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) for the provision of financial literacy and entrepreneurship training and assistance to parents and students. Directs the Secretary to encourage LEA grantees to: (1) partner with community organizations, financial institutions, or local businesses or entrepreneurs when implementing such program; and (2) find connections and foster mentorships between classroom-based programs and the local business and entrepreneurship community, where appropriate. Requires the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection to coordinate the activities funded under this Act with the activities carried out by any financial education research center operated by a Federal Reserve bank.

Date: 2011-04-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Education
Financial and Economic Literacy Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to award formula matching grants to states or partnerships between states and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education. Requires grantees to use 25% of the grant funds to: (1) develop financial literacy standards and assessments for at least three grade levels, (2) create teacher training programs to embed financial literacy or personal finance education into core academic subjects, and (3) evaluate the impact such education has on students' financial literacy. Requires the remaining grant funds to be used for subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or partnerships between LEAs and community organizations, local businesses, or other educational entities to implement such financial literacy activities, including student assessments and teacher training. Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or partnerships between IHEs and experienced nonprofit providers of financial literacy or personal finance education for activities that increase student knowledge in consumer, economic, and personal financial concepts.

Date: 2011-05-02
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Education
Consumer Rental-Purchase Agreement Act of 2011- Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to prescribe consumer protection guidelines for rental-purchase transactions, including: (1) the determination of rental-purchase cost; (2) disclosure requirements; (3) prohibitions against confessions of judgment, wage assignments, and waiver of consumer claims or defenses; (4) furnishing of statements of account; (5) point-of-rental disclosures; and (6) rental-purchase advertising disclosures. Declares that an action for civil liability may be brought against a merchant's assignee only if the violation is apparent on the face of a rental-purchase agreement to which it relates, including, but not limited to, a disclosure that can be determined to be incomplete or inaccurate from the face of the agreement. Authorizes the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to promulgate implementing regulations. Grants enforcement powers to the Federal Trade Commission and to state attorneys general. Subjects to criminal penalties any willful and knowing violation of the information disclosure requirements of this Act.

Date: 2011-05-04
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Regulation of Mortgage Servicing Act of 2011 - Requires a mortgage servicer to assign one case manager to each borrower that seeks a mortgage loan modification or an alternative to foreclosure. Requires the case manager to: (1) manage the communication between the servicer and the borrower, and (2) make decisions about the borrower's eligibility for a loan modification or an alternative to foreclosure. Prohibits a servicer from initiating a foreclosure action against a borrower unless the servicer has performed specified tasks related to offering the borrower, if eligible, a loan modification or an alternative to foreclosure. Requires a servicer to suspend a foreclosure action initiated before the enactment of this Act until such tasks have been performed. Prohibits a servicer, during the suspension period, from: (1) sending the borrower a notice of foreclosure, (2) conducting or scheduling a sale of the real property securing the mortgage, or (3) causing final judgment to be entered against the borrower. Prescribes requirements a servicer must meet in order to be deemed to have made a reasonable effort to obtain necessary information to determine a borrower's eligibility for a loan modification or an alternative to foreclosure. Requires a servicer, before notifying a borrower of his or her ineligibility for a loan modification or an alternative to foreclosure, to obtain the services of an independent reviewer to review the borrower's file and determine whether or not the borrower is eligible. Makes a violation of this Act a bar to a foreclosure action. Allows a servicer in compliance with this Act, however, to bring or proceed with a foreclosure action, regardless of any prior violation.

Date: 2011-05-12
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Rural Health Care Capital Access Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends the National Housing Act to extend from July 31, 2011 to July 31, 2016, the exemption for critical access hospitals from the limit on patient days customarily assignable to specified categories of care under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (Federal Housing Administration [FHA]) hospital mortgage insurance program.

Date: 2011-07-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Amends the Emergency Housing Act of 1975, as amended by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, to extend eligibility for loan or advance of credit insurance or emergency mortgage relief payments to mortgagors who: (1) applied for a loan, advance, or emergency mortgage relief payments on or before September 30, 2011; and (2) were approved to receive the benefit of such loan, advance, or emergency mortgage relief on or before December 31, 2011.

Date: 2011-09-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Empowering States' Rights To Protect Consumers Act - Amends the Truth In Lending Act to limit the annual percentage rate (APR) applicable to any consumer credit transaction (other than a residential mortgage transaction), including any associated fees, to the maximum rate permitted by the laws of the state in which the consumer resides.

Date: 2011-11-08
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Mortgage Finance Act of 2011 - Appoints the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) receiver of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs) and places them into irrevocable receivership, effective on the date on which the Mortgage Finance Agency (MFA) established by this Act is operational and able to perform the guarantee function for qualified mortgage-backed securities collateralized by qualified residential mortgages. Directs the FHFA to commence liquidation of the GSEs immediately upon their placement into receivership. Repeals the charters of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Requires repayment by the FHFA to the General Fund of the Treasury, in repayment of certain government assistance to the GSEs, of all proceeds from their operations in receivership remaining after their outstanding obligations are fully satisfied. Requires the FHFA as receiver to manage the combined assets of the GSEs to obtain resolutions that maximize the return for the taxpayer. Establishes the MFA as an independent agency of the federal government to: (1) guarantee securities issued by qualified issuers and collateralized by pools of qualified residential mortgages in order to provide a dependable, transparent, and liquid market for high quality mortgages and multifamily mortgages for securitization; (2) charge and collect a guarantee fee sufficient to protect the MFA and the Treasury from the risks of guaranteeing the timely payment of principal and interest on qualified mortgage-backed securities; (3) establish and maintain a Catastrophic Fund to minimize the burden on the federal government by setting aside amounts that will be available solely to pay obligations under the MFA guarantee in the event of any future mortgage market collapse; and (4) purchase supplemental insurance coverage. Requires the MFA to: (1) guarantee the timely payment of the principal and interest to holders of qualified mortgage-back securities, and (2) cover any shortfalls to security holders. Requires the MFA to charge a guarantee fee with respect to timely payment of principal and interest on the qualified mortgage-backed securities. Creates in the Treasury the Catastrophic Fund, to which shall be credited the amount of guarantee fees and any amounts earned on investments. Requires the MFA Board of Directors to issue guidelines to determine whether supplemental coverage: (1) is being offered on commercially reasonable terms, and (2) is reasonably likely to mitigate the risk that the MFA will have to make any payment pursuant to its guarantee. Declares that nothing in this Act may be construed as preventing the private sector from securitizing qualified residential mortgages, qualified multifamily mortgages, or other non-qualified residential single family or multifamily mortgages. Terminates the MFA after ten years.

Date: 2011-12-08
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
FHA Bailout Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the National Housing Act (NHA) to direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to take action to ensure that the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund attains and maintains a capital ratio of at least 2%. Includes among such actions: (1) increasing mortgage insurance premiums, (2) establishing more stringent underwriting standards, and (3) increasing the amount of cash (or its equivalent) required to be paid on account of the property subject to a mortgage. Directs the Secretary to raise annual insurance premiums and charge an additional risk-based annual insurance premium if: (1) the Fund fails to attain a capital ratio of 2% by a specified date or maintain it, or (2) the Fund's expected claims rate as set forth in the quarterly independent actuarial study is 10.0 or higher. Directs the Secretary to require a mortgagee to indemnify HUD for losses resulting from payment of an insurance claim with respect to a mortgage: (1) executed under the direct endorsement program or insured by the mortgagee pursuant to a delegation of authority, but (2) not originated or underwritten in accordance with HUD requirements. Requires indemnification also in the event that fraud or misrepresentation was involved in an origination or underwriting. Directs the Secretary of HUD to take any actions required to seek indemnification for any early term delinquency on a mortgage which: (1) is an obligation of the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund; and (2) at the time of origination was not in compliance with NHA requirements. Directs the Secretary of HUD to establish a program to review the cause of each early term delinquency on such a mortgage. Converts from annual to quarterly the frequency of an independent actuarial study of the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund. Amends the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 to prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury from entering into specified transactions with the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund.

Date: 2011-12-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Prepaid Card Consumer Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to extend its coverage to spending accounts (prepaid cards) established by a consumer (or on a consumer's behalf): (1) to which recurring electronic fund transfers may be made, at the consumer's direction; and (2) from which payments may be made, at the consumer's direction, through the use of a card, code, or device. Treats as a spending account any similar deposit account operated or managed by a financial institution, or any other person, whose funds: (1) are pooled with the funds of a person other than the one who established the account, or (2) are held in a name other than that of the person who established the account. Excludes from the meaning of spending account: (1) any nonreloadable general-use prepaid card in an amount under $250; and (2) any general-use prepaid card solely associated with a certain kind of health plan, a qualified transportation fringe, a health savings account or any other healthcare benefit account, a gift certificate, a store gift card, an electronic promise, plastic card, or payment code, or device, a nonreloadable card labeled as a gift card and marketed solely as such, or a nonreloadable loyalty, rebate, or promotional card. Requires spending accounts to be structured to provide and maintain separate deposit insurance coverage for the funds of each consumer under the applicable Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) regulations. Requires any person that receives funds in connection with an electronic fund transfer to a spending account to: (1) transfer them, within one business day after funds are activated, to an account at an FDIC-insured depository institution; or (2) credit the spending account an amount equal to the amount of such funds. Waives the requirement for providing a consumer with a periodic statement if a financial institution, among other things, provides the consumer with access to the account balance through a readily available telephone line, the Internet, text messaging, or at an electronic terminal or other device (ATM machine) that allows the consumer to make a balance inquiry. Prohibits the charging of fees for services required to meet these requirements, other than $1 for an optional periodic statement. Specifies other fees which may and may not be charged in connection with a spending account. Prohibits any person from offering or providing a spending account that has a credit feature or that can be linked to a credit account that is automatically repaid from the spending account. Directs the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to establish an implementation plan and timeline for a prepaid card research study to determine if any differences exist for both the short- and long-term economic well being of consumers at different income levels who use spending accounts versus those who use traditional bank accounts for their primary means of making financial transactions.

Date: 2011-12-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Helping Homeowners Refinance Act - Requires the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to promulgate rules prohibiting the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs) and their affiliates from holding any possessory interest in or otherwise owning, in whole or in part, any financial market instrument that would, in the Director's discretion, substantially reduce the financial incentive to carry out the statutory mission of the GSEs to provide liquidity, stability, and affordability to the U.S. housing market under the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Act and the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act. Directs Freddie Mac to implement policies (consistent with Fannie Mae's as of February 1, 2012) to reduce the putback risk on a mortgage, including any putback risk associated with loan refinancing, regardless of the loan-to-value ratio on the mortgage. Defines "putback risk" as the probability that a GSE would require a loan originator to repurchase a loan purchased by the GSE. Requires the GSEs to apply the same putback risks to all financial institutions that refinance mortgage loans owned or guaranteed by a GSE, regardless of whether the loans being refinanced were originated by the same institution that is originating the new loan. Authorizes the Director to waive any rule under this Act or the application of such a putback risk if the Director certifies in writing to Congress that the GSE's safety and soundness is put at risk by the applicability of the putback risk.

Date: 2012-02-06
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Preserving American Homeownership Act of 2012 - Requires the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Federal Housing Commissioner each to establish a pilot program to encourage the use of shared appreciation mortgage modifications that: (1) are designed to return greater cash flow to investors than other loss-mitigation activities, including foreclosure; and (2) result in positive net present value for the investor. Requires a shared appreciation mortgage modification to: (1) reduce by specified action the loan-to-value ratio of a covered mortgage to 95% within 3 years; (2) reduce the interest rate if such a principal reduction would not result in an affordable reduced monthly payment; (3) reduce to a specified amount any periodic payment the homeowner is required to make; (4) require the homeowner to pay the investor, after refinancing or selling the real property securing a covered mortgage, up to 50% of the amount of any increase in the value of the real property during a specified period; and (5) result in a positive net present value for the investor after taking into account the principal reduction and, if necessary, any interest rate reduction.

Date: 2012-02-09
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Prompt Notification of Short Sales Act - Requires each servicer of a home mortgage to respond in writing within 75 days to a mortgagor of a residential mortgage loan who has requested in writing a short sale of the dwelling or residential real property that is subject to the mortgage, deed of trust, or other security interest securing the mortgage loan. Authorizes an aggrieved individual to bring a civil action for damages and equitable relief for any violation of this Act. Declares this Act inapplicable to certain residential mortgages entered into before its enactment whose mortgage agreements explicitly provide a procedure or terms for a short sale approval.

Date: 2012-02-16
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Medical Debt Responsibility Act of 2012 - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit a consumer reporting agency from making any report containing information related to a fully paid or settled medical debt that had been characterized as delinquent, charged off, or in collection which, from the date of payment or settlement, antedates the report by more than 45 days.

Date: 2012-03-01
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Mortgage Foregiveness Tax Relief Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through 2014 the exclusion from gross income of income attributable to the discharge of indebtedness on a principal residence.

Date: 2012-03-29
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Taxation
Rebuilding Equity Act of 2012 - Directs the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs) each to establish a voluntary program for borrowers who qualify for the Home Affordable Refinance Program carried out by the GSEs, in which the GSE shall pay for the closing costs associated with applying for and receiving the refinancing when the borrower agrees to refinance into a fully amoritizing loan with a term of not longer than 20 years.

Date: 2012-05-08
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Expanding Refinancing Opportunities Act of 2012 - Amends the National Housing Act to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to insure or commit to insure any mortgage made to refinance an eligible mortgage. Defines "eligible mortgage" as one that: (1) is not guaranteed by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs), (2) is collateralized by an owner-occupied residence, (3) involves a principal obligation that does not exceed 140% of the value of the property collateralizing the mortgage or the HUD-insured loan limits in effect, and (4) was executed by a mortgagor meeting certain criteria. Establishes in the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) the Expanded Refinancing Fund, which shall be available to carry out streamlined refinancing of non-enterprise mortgages. Prohibits the use of any amounts in the Mutual Mortgage Fund to carry out this Act. Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 and the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 to extend through FY2022 the mandates for GSE and FHA guarantee fees.

Date: 2012-05-09
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Responsible Homeowners Refinancing Act of 2012 - Requires the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs), in carrying out the Home Affordable Refinance Program, to adopt specified criteria pertaining to: (1) borrower eligibility, (2) representations and warranties, (3) prohibition on up-front fees, (4) alternative streamlined methods to appraise the value of a property, (5) an administrative penalty for lien-holder refusal to resubordinate junior liens, (6) carryover of mortgage insurance, and (7) guarantee fees. Requires the GSE to notify all borrowers with a mortgage owned or guaranteed by a GSE about the Program and its eligibility criteria, and inform borrowers of the website required below. Directs the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to establish a single website where borrowers may: (1) determine their potential eligibility for participation in the Program, (2) see a complete list of and links to participating lenders, (3) use a mortgage refinance calculator to calculate potential payment savings based on different interest rates, and (4) obtain tips on refinancing their loan. Directs the FHFA to issue guidelines to require the GSEs to make their refinancing guidelines consistent to ease lender compliance requirements, particularly with respect to: (1) loans with less than an 80% loan-to-value ratio, and (2) GSE closing cost policies.

Date: 2012-05-10
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Stopping Ongoing Lender Delays Act or SOLD Act - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require each servicer of a home mortgage to respond in writing within 30 days to a mortgagor of a residential mortgage loan who hasrequested in writing a short sale of the dwelling or residential real property that is subject to the mortgage, deed of trust, or other security interest securing the mortgage loan. Authorizes an aggrieved individual to bring a civil action for damages and equitable relief for any violation of this Act. Declares this Act inapplicable to certain residential mortgages entered into before its enactment whose mortgage agreements explicitly provide a procedure or terms for a short sale approval.

Date: 2012-05-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Homeowners and Military Families Tax Fairness Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) extend through 2015 the exclusion from gross income of income attributable to the discharge of indebtedness on a principal residence, (2) extend through 2012 the tax deduction for mortgage insurance premiums, and (3) exclude from gross income any National Mortgage Settlement amount. Defines "National Mortgage Settlement amount" as any amount received pursuant to the settlement in a legal action against Bank of America Corporation filed in U.S. District Court on March 12, 2012, which is: (1) a payment for transitional assistance; (2) a payment from the Borrower Payment Fund under the National Mortgage Settlement to a borrower whose home was finally sold or taken in foreclosure after December 31, 2007, and before January 1, 2012; or (3) a payment received as a result of a foreclosure that the Attorney General has determined was not in compliance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

Date: 2012-05-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Taxation
Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic Lending Act of 2012 or SAFE Lending Act of 2012 - Amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to authorize the issuance of remotely created checks only if the consumer has designated in writing a person to issue them. Defines a "remotely created check" as one that: (1) is not created by the financial institution that holds the customer account from which the check is to be paid; and (2) does not bear a signature applied, or purported to be applied, by the person from whose account the check is to be paid. Treats as a preauthorized electronic fund transfer (EFT) subject to the protections of such Act any voluntary repayment by a consumer of an extension of a small-dollar ($5,000 or less) consumer credit transaction by means of an EFT. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require any small-dollar consumer credit transaction made over the Internet, telephone, FAX, mail, electronic mail, or other electronic communication, as well as any conducted by an insured depository institution, to comply with the laws of the state in which the consumer resides with respect to annual percentage rates, interest, fees, charges, and such other matters as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) may determine. Prohibits persons engaged in the business of facilitating, brokering, arranging, gathering applications for, distributing sensitive personal financial information, or extending credit in connection with a small-dollar consumer credit transaction unless that person is directly extending the small-dollar consumer credit to the consumer. Subjects violators of this Act to civil liability. Empowers the CFPB to investigate violations of this Act. Sets forth investigative and cease-and-desist enforcement procedures, particularly with respect to offshore persons conducting business directed to U.S. residents but from a location outside any U.S. judicial district. Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the availability of capital on Indian reservations and the impact that small-dollar consumer credit extended through Internet and non-Internet means to members of Indian tribes has had upon economic opportunity and wealth for tribal members.

Date: 2012-07-24
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to make permanent the tax deduction for mortgage insurance premiums.

Date: 2012-08-01
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Taxation
Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act - Amends the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 to exclude a seller of manufactured homes from the definition of loan originator subject to such Act, unless such individual or entity is engaged in the business of a loan originator or receives compensation or gain for engaging in certain residential mortgage loan activities in excess of any compensation or gain received in a comparable cash transaction. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to revise the definition of "high cost mortgage."

Date: 2012-08-02
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Amends the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act to exempt from certain registration and disclosure requirements the sale or lease of a condominium unit not already exempt from coverage under such Act.

Date: 2012-08-02
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Rebuilding Equity Act of 2012 - Requires the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs) each to establish a voluntary program for eligible borrowers who qualify for the Home Affordable Refinance Program carried out by the GSEs, under which the GSEs shall pay up to $1,000 of the closing costs associated with applying for and receiving refinancing when the borrower agrees to refinance a 30-year mortgage loan into a fully amortizing loan with a term of not longer than 20 years. Requires the subject property to have a loan-to-value ratio of not less than 105%.

Date: 2012-08-02
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Responsible Homeowner Refinancing Act of 2012 - Requires the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs), in carrying out the Home Affordable Refinance Program, to adopt specified criteria pertaining to: (1) borrower eligibility, (2) representations and warranties, (3) prohibition on up-front fees, (4) alternative streamlined methods to determine the value of a property, (5) the purchase or guarantee of any new mortgage resulting from the refinancing of an eligible mortgage, and (6) guarantee fees. Requires the GSEs to notify all borrowers with a mortgage owned or guaranteed by a GSE about the Program and its eligibility criteria, and inform borrowers of the website required below. Directs the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to establish a single website where borrowers may: (1) determine their potential eligibility for participation in the Program, (2) see a complete list of and links to qualified lenders, (3) use a mortgage refinance calculator to calculate potential payment savings based on different interest rates, and (4) obtain tips on refinancing their loan. Directs the Director of FHFA to issue guidance to require the GSEs to make their refinancing guidelines consistent to ease the compliance requirements of qualified lenders, and in particular with respect to loans with less than 80% loan-to-value ratio and closing cost policies of the GSEs, which regulations or guidance shall be put into effect not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Acts.

Date: 2012-09-10
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Amends the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act, title XIV of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, to declare that nothing in such Act, including its effective dates, shall apply with respect to regulations required to be issued pursuant to certain safe harbor and rebuttable presumption requirements that authorize: (1) any creditor or assignee subject to liability with respect to any residential mortgage loan to presume that it has met the minimum standards for such a loan if it is a qualified mortgage meeting specified criteria that does not result in a balloon payment; and (2) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve by regulation to include as a qualified mortgage any balloon loan meeting the same specified criteria if it meets certain other criteria as well, including that it is extended by a creditor operating predominantly in rural or underserved areas. Treats any such regulations as having a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities (small businesses). Prohibits any such regulation from taking effect unless and until the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has convened a small business review panel to participate in the rulemaking through the reasonable use of specified comment-gathering techniques.

Date: 2012-09-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Produce the Note Act of 2013 - Prohibits commencement of any foreclosure in connection with certain residential mortgages unless the person commencing the foreclosure complies with specified prerequisites, including identification of the actual holder of the mortgage note, the originating mortgage lender and all subsequent assignees, and other all parties who have an interest in the real estate subject to the mortgage or in the mortgage or its proceeds.

Requires the person commencing the foreclosure to: (1) notify the mortgagor, in writing, not less than five days before any action is taken to commence foreclosure; and (2) certify to the court, in the case of a judicial foreclosure, or to the office of the state to which notice is required under state law, that such notice has been provided.

Date: 2013-01-04
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Amends the Truth in Lending Act to modify the exclusion from the definition of "mortgage originator" of a seller providing mortgage financing of three properties in a 12-month period to remove the requirement that a residential mortgage loan be fully amortizing. (Allows treatment as a mortgage originator of any seller providing mortgage financing of three properties in a 12-month period even if the mortgage loan involved is not fully amortizing.)

Date: 2013-01-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
FHA Enhanced Oversight Act of 2013 - Amends the National Housing Act to require semiannual independent studies during any period that the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund does not meet minimum capital ratio requirements.

Date: 2013-01-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Responsible Homeowner Refinancing Act of 2013 - Requires the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (government sponsored enterprises or GSEs), in carrying out the Home Affordable Refinance Program, to adopt specified criteria pertaining to: (1) borrower eligibility, (2) representations and warranties, (3) prohibition on up-front fees, (4) alternative streamlined methods to determine the value of a property, (5) the purchase or guarantee of any new mortgage resulting from the refinancing of an eligible mortgage, and (6) guarantee fees.

Requires the GSEs to notify all borrowers with a mortgage owned or guaranteed by a GSE about the Program and its eligibility criteria, and inform borrowers of the website required below.

Directs the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to establish a single website where borrowers may: (1) determine their potential eligibility for participation in the Program, (2) see a complete list of and links to qualified lenders, (3) use a mortgage refinance calculator to calculate potential payment savings based on different interest rates, and (4) obtain tips on refinancing their loan.

Directs the Director of FHFA to issue guidance to require the GSEs to make their refinancing guidelines consistent to ease the compliance requirements of qualified lenders, and in particular with respect to loans with less than 80% loan-to-value ratio and closing cost policies of the GSEs, which regulations or guidance shall be put into effect not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Acts.

Date: 2013-02-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Prompt Notification of Short Sales Act - Requires each servicer of a home mortgage to provide in writing to a mortgagor of a residential mortgage loan specified prompt notifications and decisions regarding a written request of the mortgagor for a short sale of the dwelling or residential real property that is subject to the mortgage, deed of trust, or other security interest securing the mortgage loan.

Authorizes an aggrieved individual to bring a civil action for equitable relief and a monetary award of $1,000 for any violation of this Act.

Declares this Act inapplicable to certain residential mortgages entered into before its enactment whose mortgage agreements explicitly provide a procedure or terms for a short sale approval.

Date: 2013-02-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development
Young Americans Financial Literacy Act - Authorizes the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to make competitive grants to, and enter agreements with, eligible institutions to establish centers of excellence to support research, development and planning, implementation, and evaluation of effective programs in financial literacy education for young people and families ages 8-24 years old.

Limits the aggregate amount of grants made under this Act during any fiscal year. Sunsets the grant program at the end of FY2018.

Defines "eligible institution" as a partnership of two or more of the following: (1) an institution of higher education; (2) a local educational agency; (3) a nonprofit agency, organization, or association; or (4) a financial institution.

Date: 2013-02-28
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Finance and financial sector
End Unnecessary Borrowing Act of 2013 - Amends the National Housing Act with respect to the requirement that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) endeavor to ensure that the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund attains a capital ratio of not less than 2% within 10 years after enactment of that requirement (November 5, 1990) and to ensure that the Fund maintains at least that capital ratio at all times thereafter.

Prohibits these requirements from being construed to authorize or require the Secretary to borrow any amounts to comply with the capital ratio requirement.

Limits the use of any authority of the Secretary to borrow from the Treasury for the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund only to the extent necessary to pay claims on mortgage insurance that is an obligation of such Fund.

Date: 2013-03-04
Topic: Domestic Commerce (Consumer Finance)
Subject: Housing and community development