Federal Housing Finance Agency October 5, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This proposed rule would implement section 165(i)(2) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) which requires certain financial companies with total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion, and which are regulated by a primary federal financial regulatory agency, to conduct annual stress tests to determine whether the companies have the capital necessary to absorb losses as a result of adverse economic conditions. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is the primary federal financial regulator of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and the Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac collectively, the Enterprises; the Enterprises and the Banks collectively, regulated entities). While each of the regulated entities currently has total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion, FHFA proposes expressly to retain to the Director the discretion to require any regulated entity that falls below the $10 billion threshold to conduct annually the stress test. FHFA's proposal reflects its supervisory judgment and is grounded in its regulatory and supervisory authority and obligation to ensure the safety and soundness of the regulated entities under the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as amended (12 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.) (Safety and Soundness Act) and the Federal Home Loan Bank Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1421 through 1449) (Bank Act). In accordance with section 165(i)(2)(C) of the Dodd-Frank Act, FHFA has coordinated with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (Board), and the Federal Insurance Office.