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H.R. 230House111th Congress (2009-2011)In Committee

Housing Opportunity and Mortgage Equity Act of 2009

Sponsored by Dennis A. CardozaRep. Dennis A. Cardoza (D-CA)
Introduced January 7, 2009

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Financial Services Committee

January 7, 2009

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 7, 2009

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Financial Services Committee

January 7, 2009

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 230 on the floor

1 Democrat
Grace F. Napolitano
Rep. Grace F. NapolitanoD-CA-38 · May 4, 2009

Madam Speaker, on Monday, May 4, 2009, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 229. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to H.R. 230-- Recognizing…

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 7, 2009

I

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 230

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 7, 2009

Mr. Cardoza introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

A BILL

To prevent foreclosure of home mortgages and increase the availability of affordable new mortgages.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Housing Opportunity and Mortgage Equity Act of 2009.

2.

Affordable refinancing mortgages and new mortgages

(a)

Authority

The Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation shall each carry out a program under this section to purchase and securitize qualified refinancing mortgages and qualified new mortgages on single-family housing, in accordance with this section and policies and procedures that the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency shall establish.

(b)

Purchase of qualified mortgages

(1)

Requirement to purchase

If a lender proffers to an enterprise, in accordance with requirements established by the Director, a mortgage or mortgages for purchase under this section, the enterprise shall make a determination of whether such mortgage or mortgages are qualified mortgages. Subject to subsection (g), if the enterprise determines that such mortgage or mortgages meet the requirements for qualified mortgages, the enterprise shall make a commitment to purchase, and shall purchase, the mortgage or mortgages.

(2)

Advance commitments

The Director shall require each enterprise to establish a procedure for approval of lenders to receive commitments, in advance of the origination of qualified mortgages, for purchase of such mortgages under this section by the enterprise.

(c)

Qualified mortgages

(1)

Qualified mortgage

For purposes of this section, the term qualified mortgage means a mortgage that is a qualified refinancing mortgage or a qualified new mortgage.

(2)

Qualified refinancing mortgage

For purposes of this section, the term qualified refinancing mortgage means a mortgage that meets the following requirements:

(A)

Single-family housing

The property subject to the mortgage shall be a one- to four-family dwelling, including a condominium or a share in a cooperative ownership housing association.

(B)

Principal residence

The mortgagor under the mortgage shall occupy the property subject to the mortgage as his or her principal residence.

(C)

Refinancing

The principal loan amount repayment of which is secured by the mortgage shall be used to satisfy all indebtedness under an existing first mortgage that—

(i)

was made for purchase of, or refinancing another first mortgage on, the same property that is subject to the qualified refinancing mortgage; and

(ii)

was originated on or before January 1, 2008.

(D)

Interest rate; term to maturity

The mortgage shall—

(i)

bear interest at a single rate that is fixed for the entire term of the mortgage, which shall not exceed 4.0 percent annually; and

(ii)

have a term to maturity of not less than 30 years and not more than 40 years from the date of the beginning of the amortization of the mortgage.

(E)

Underwriting standards

The mortgage shall meet such underwriting standards as the Director shall require.

(F)

Waiver of prepayment penalties

All penalties for prepayment or refinancing of the underlying mortgage refinanced by the mortgage, and all fees and penalties related to the default or delinquency on such mortgage, shall have been waived or forgiven.

(3)

Qualified new mortgage

For purposes of this section, the term qualified new mortgage means a mortgage that meets the following requirements:

(A)

Terms

The mortgage meets the requirements under subparagraphs (A), (B), (D), and (E) of paragraph (2).

(B)

Home purchase

The principal loan amount repayment of which is secured by the mortgage shall be used to purchase the property that is subject to the qualified new mortgage.

(C)

New mortgages

The mortgage was originated on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(d)

Exceptions to underwriting standards

Each enterprise shall establish such exceptions to the underwriting standards of the enterprise, including downpayment and credit rating standards, that conform to the underwriting standards established pursuant to subsection (c)(5), as may be necessary to allow the enterprise to purchase and securitize qualified refinancing mortgages and qualified new mortgages under this section, in accordance with such requirements as the Director shall establish.

(e)

Securitization

(1)

Requirement

Each enterprise shall, upon such terms and conditions as it may prescribe, set aside any qualified mortgages purchased by it under this section and, upon approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, issue and sell securities based upon such mortgages set aside.

(2)

Form

Securities issued under this subsection may be in the form of debt obligations or trust certificates of beneficial interest, or both.

(3)

Terms

Securities issued under this subsection shall have such maturities and bear such rate or rates of interest as may be determined by the enterprise with the approval of the Secretary.

(4)

Exemption

Securities issued by an enterprise under this subsection shall, to the same extent as securities which are direct obligations of or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States, be deemed to be exempt securities within the meaning of laws administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(5)

Principal and interest payments

Mortgages set aside pursuant to this subsection shall at all times be adequate to enable the issuing enterprise to make timely principal and interest payments on the securities issued and sold pursuant to this subsection.

(6)

Required disclosure

Each enterprise shall insert appropriate language in all of the securities issued under this subsection clearly indicating that such securities, together with the interest thereon, are not guaranteed by the United States and do not constitute a debt or obligation of the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof other than the enterprise.

(f)

Federal Reserve financing facility

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall establish a credit facility of the Federal Reserve System to make credit available to the enterprises at interest rates comparable to rates on securities issued by the Secretary of the Treasury under chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, and having comparable terms, as determined by the Board.

(g)

Termination

The requirement under subsection (b)(1) for the enterprises to purchase mortgages shall not apply to any mortgage proferred to an enterprise after December 31, 2010.

3.

Definitions

For purposes of this Act, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)

Director

The term Director means the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

(2)

Enterprise

The term enterprise means the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.

(3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Treasury.