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          <title>WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 3081, The Fairness for Homeowners Act of 2007</title>
          <link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills</link>
          <description></description>
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<title>Revision by webmaster (September 11, 2007, 01:00:00)</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_HR_3081.html?rev=9658</link>
<description>&lt;p&gt;H.R. 3081 would amend the Truth in Lending Act to protect consumers from certain practices in connection with the origination of consumer credit transactions secured by the consumer's principal dwelling.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc0&quot;&gt; Detailed Summary &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Fairness for Homeowners Act of 2007 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit any creditor or mortgage broker from making, providing, or arranging for any consumer credit transaction secured by a consumer's principal dwelling without verifying the consumer's reasonable ability to make the scheduled payments of principal, interest (including variable interest), real estate taxes, homeowner's insurance, assessments, and mortgage insurance premiums.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Prescribes criteria for determining the reasonable ability to make such payments.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Prohibits steering (arranging for a lower investment grade credit transaction if the consumer qualifies for a higher investment grade transaction) and prepayment penalties for adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) that are not jumbo mortgages.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Limits financed points, finance charges, and fees to 5% of a transaction's principal, unless the transaction is ensured or guaranteed by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or the Farmers Home Administration.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Specifies duties of agency for mortgage brokers acting to obtain or arrange for any consumer credit transaction secured by the consumer's principal dwelling.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Requires creditors and mortgage brokers to obtain independent verification that a borrower seeking to refinance a special mortgage has received counseling on the transaction's advisability. Defines &amp;amp;quot;special mortgage&amp;amp;quot; as one that: (1) was originated, subsidized, funded, or guaranteed by or through a state, tribal, or local government, or nonprofit organization; and (2) bears one or more specified nonstandard payment terms which substantially benefit the consumer.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Prescribes minimum financial requirements for mortgage brokers.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Excludes reverse mortgages from coverage by this Act.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc1&quot;&gt; Status of the Legislation &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Latest Major Action: 7/18/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc2&quot;&gt; Points in Favor &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc3&quot;&gt; Points Against &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;

</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">9658@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Comment by Terry Liebman (July 26, 2007, 01:00:00)</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_3081.html#17944</link>
<description>If this bill is passed, it could have a devastating affect on all homeowners.  Clearly, abuses have occurred.  Homeowners have been taken advantage.  But this bill throws the baby out with the bathwater.  It goes too far.

This bill completely eliminates “stated income” loans.  Current and possible future “self-employed” homeowners – who generate strong cash flow but show limited income – will probably be unable to refinance or buy a home.  

Qualifying all variable rate loans – including variable loans with fixed rate periods of 5 years or longer – at the fully indexed rate PLUS 200 basis points will probably make these loans unavailable for most borrowers....</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">17944@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Revision by webmaster (July 19, 2007, 01:00:00)</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_HR_3081.html?rev=4796</link>
<description>&lt;p&gt;H.R. 3081 would amend the Truth in Lending Act to protect consumers from certain practices in connection with the origination of consumer credit transactions secured by the consumer's principal dwelling.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc4&quot;&gt; Detailed Summary &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc5&quot;&gt; Status of the Legislation &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to update the status of the bill!)&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc6&quot;&gt; Points in Favor &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc7&quot;&gt; Points Against &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;

</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">4796@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Revision by webmaster (July 19, 2007, 01:00:00)</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/110_HR_3081.html?rev=4797</link>
<description>&lt;p&gt;H.R. 3081 would amend the Truth in Lending Act to protect consumers from certain practices in connection with the origination of consumer credit transactions secured by the consumer's principal dwelling.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc8&quot;&gt; Detailed Summary &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc9&quot;&gt; Status of the Legislation &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Latest Major Action: 7/18/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --&gt;

&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc10&quot;&gt; Points in Favor &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;h2 id=&quot;toc11&quot;&gt; Points Against &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)&lt;br /&gt;

&lt;!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;

</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">4797@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Status as of July 18, 2007</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_3081.html</link>
<description>7/18/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">23781@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EDT</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Status as of July 18, 2007</title>
<link>http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_3081.html</link>
<description>7/18/2007: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.</description>
<guid isPermaLink="false">28713@http://www.washingtonwatch.com</guid>
<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EDT</pubDate>
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