Fed Governor Views Housing-Finance Reform as ‘Now or Never,’ Opposes Reliance on a Duopoly
July 7, 2017
Federal Reserve Governor Jay Powell urged lawmakers to figure out a solution to the extended conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, noting that a healthy economy and the risk to taxpayers make now an ideal time to act. In a speech this week at the American Enterprise Institute, Powell noted that the two government-sponsored enterprises are now in their ninth year of conservatorship. He worries that if reform doesn’t happen soon it may not happen at all. Powell said any change would be more challenging to enact during difficult economic times. “The risk that we settle into this current situation for the long run is...