Financial industry advocates and former regulators urged the Senate Commerce Committee to seriously consider proposals for improving consumer data privacy regulations before and during its recent hearing examining consumer data privacy proposals. Two former Federal Trade Commission officials called on Congress to grant regulators more enforcement authority with regard to data privacy.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently announced its statutorily-required annual adjustments to maximum allowable credit reporting disclosure fees. The bureau must adjust the disclosure fee limits proportionate with changes in the Consumer Price Index on Jan. 1 of each year under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Accusing the agencies of neglecting to protect student loan borrowers from bad actors, a nonprofit group filed suit against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education.

eOriginal made a splash at the Mortgage Bankers Association Annual Convention last year, announcing a partnership with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage which would enable Wells’ correspondent channel to purchase eNotes.  So what would the company do for an encore in 2019? Push the availability of eClosing out even further to the mortgage industry.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. reported net earnings of $57.4 billion in the third quarter for commercial banks and savings institutions. Community banks fared better than their larger counterparts.

The Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments in a case challenging the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for March 3.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is seeking public feedback on various factors that artificially raise costs associated with developing affordable housing. High development costs contribute to the country’s housing supply shortage.

FHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery recently addressed attendees at the Mortgage Bankers Association Annual Convention with more details on the news of an agreement between the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Justice Development concerning the use of the False Claims Act in determining violations by FHA lenders.  Montgomery also touched on the impact of the GSE Patch expiration, progress on modernizing the agency’s technology, and a new social media way to connect with FHA.

At least two federal banking agencies are close to finalizing an overhaul of Community Reinvestment Act requirements. Comptroller Joseph Otting confirmed in a statement obtained by Dodd Frank Update that he believes the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will have a joint proposal for banks to review by the end of the year.