Majority Press Releases
JOHNSON STATEMENT ON PETER DIAMOND WITHDRAWING HIS NOMINATION TO THE FED
WASHINGTON - Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) released the following statement today commenting on the decision by Dr. Peter Diamond to withdraw his nomination to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Dr. Diamond was initially nominated by President Obama in April 2010, and his confirmation was blocked three times by Republican opposition. "With nearly 14 million Americans unemployed, it is disappointing Republicans would rather play politics than help bring the Federal… Continue Reading
May 19, 2011
JOHNSON OPENING STATEMENT ON TRANSIT REAUTHORIZATION HEARING
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing entitled "Public Transportation: Priorities and Challenges for Reauthorization." The Committee heard from the Federal Transit Administration as well as industry experts. The Banking Committee is responsible for authorizing the transit portion of the federal surface transportation program. Below is Chairman Johnson's statement as prepared for delivery: "Today, the Committee holds its first hearing this… Continue Reading
May 17, 2011
JOHNSON OPENING STATEMENT ON EXPORT-IMPORT BANK HEARING
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing entitled "Oversight and Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank of the United States." The Export-Import Bank is the official export credit agency of the United States and it assists in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets. Below is Chairman Johnson's statement as prepared for delivery: "Today, the Committee welcomes the Chairman and President of the Export-Import… Continue Reading
May 16, 2011
BANKING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN TIM JOHNSON CALLS ON CONGRESS TO RAISE THE DEBT CEILING TO AVOID AN ECONOMIC DISASTER
WASHINGTON - In response to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's announcement that the government reached the debt ceiling today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) issued the following statement calling on Congress to act quickly to raise the debt ceiling to avoid unnecessary economic damage. "Failure to extend the debt ceiling promptly is irresponsible and will cause serious and unnecessary economic harm to our country. The federal government will be forced to default … Continue Reading
May 16, 2011
JOHNSON AND SHELBY COMMENT ON WASHINGTON POST HUD REPORTS
WASHINGTON - Today Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL) issued a statement responding to reports in the Washington Post alleging financial mismanagement at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. "We are deeply concerned by these reports, particularly at a time when so many Americans are in need of affordable housing. Many communities across the country have successfully used HUD programs to create vital housing opportuni… Continue Reading
May 12, 2011
JOHNSON OPENING STATEMENT ON FINANCIAL STABILITY AND SYSTEMIC RISK OVERSIGHT HEARING
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held an oversight hearing on the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The Committee heard from the Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve, FDIC, SEC, CFTC, and OCC to discuss their progress in implementing provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act related to monitoring systemic risk and promoting financial stability. "While we will never be able to anticipate every possible cause… Continue Reading
May 5, 2011
STATEMENT OF BANKING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN TIM JOHNSON IN RESPONSE TO REPUBLICANS’ THREAT TO BLOCK ANY CFPB NOMINEE
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) issued the following statement in response to Senate Republicans' letter announcing their intention to block any nomination of a director to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). "Republicans fought the creation of a strong consumer watchdog from the start, and now they are at it again. The truth is this bureau is already subject to greater checks and balances than any other financial regulator and this… Continue Reading
April 13, 2011
CHAIRMAN JOHNSON’S STATEMENT ON MORTGAGE SERVICERS SETTLEMENTS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) issued the following statement regarding agreements reached between federal regulators and mortgage servicers addressing improper and fraudulent mortgage servicing practices. "Today's announcements are a step towards addressing the improper and fraudulent practices to which many of the country's largest mortgage servicers have admitted. These servicers disregarded laws and left American homeowners, including many activ… Continue Reading
April 12, 2011
JOHNSON OPENING STATEMENT ON DERIVATIVES OVERSIGHT HEARING
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing entitled "Building the New Derivatives Regulatory Framework: Oversight of Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act." The Committee heard testimony from regulators and market participants, and looked at the progress of the rulemaking required under the Dodd-Frank Act to improve the transparency and accountability of the U.S. derivatives market. Below is Chairman Johnson's statement as prepared for delivery: … Continue Reading
April 7, 2011
FOUR COMMITTEE CHAIRS SEND BICAMERAL, BIPARTISAN LETTER TO KEY REGULATORS URGING END-USER EXEMPTION
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and U.S. Representatives Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Spencer Bachus (R-AL) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Secretary Gary Gensler, and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Mary Schapiro yesterday urging them to provide an exemption from margin requirements for end-user transactions. As the Chairs… Continue Reading
April 6, 2011
JOHNSON, SHELBY CALL ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO NOMINATE TARP WATCHDOG REPLACEMENT
WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Richard Shelby (R-AL), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, yesterday sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to quickly nominate a replacement for outgoing Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) Neil Barofsky. "We cannot allow Mr. Barofsky's departure to mark the end of tough oversight of TARP. Billions of taxpayer dollars remain at stake," S… Continue Reading
April 6, 2011
JOHNSON RESPONDS TO RYAN’S ATTACKS ON WALL STREET REFORM
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson issued the following statement in response to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's (R-WI) erroneous claims regarding the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. "Let's be clear, the House Republicans' attacks on the Wall Street Reform law have nothing to do with cutting the budget - CBO predicted that the law would reduce deficits by $3.2 billion over ten years - and everything to do with gutting consumer an… Continue Reading
March 31, 2011
JOHNSON OPENING STATEMENT ON PUBLIC PROPOSALS FOR HOUSING FINANCE REFORM HEARING
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing entitled "Public Proposals for the Future of the Housing Finance System." The hearing was part of the Committee's ongoing discussion regarding the future of the American housing finance system. Below is Chairman Johnson's statement as prepared for delivery: "As we begin this hearing, I am reminded of the former Chairman's farewell speech on the Senate floor. He challenged Senators to rise to the exp… Continue Reading
March 16, 2011
JOHNSON STATEMENT ON HOUSING REFORM HEARING
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing entitled "The Administration's Report to Congress: Reforming America's Housing Finance Market." Below is Chairman Johnson's statement as prepared for delivery: "I would like to thank Secretary Geithner and Secretary Donovan for coming before the Committee to discuss the Administration's white paper: Reforming America's Housing Finance Market. In February, I issued a committee agenda which stated ho… Continue Reading
March 10, 2011
SENIOR BANKING COMMITTEE MEMBERS FIGHT TO BOOST WALL STREET WATCHDOGS
WASHINGTON -US Senator Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, joined with Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) to call on Congress to provide Wall Street regulators with the resources they need to hold Wall Street accountable and protect middle class investments. The Senators released a letter today to the Senate Appropriations Chairs and Subcommittee Cha… Continue Reading
March 9, 2011
JOHNSON STATEMENT ON HOUSING MARKET HEARING
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing on the state of the nation's housing market. The Committee heard from industry leaders and experts, and discussed the current condition and challenges facing the housing market. "The housing sector remains in turmoil," said Chairman Johnson. "Today we see decreasing property values eroding homeowners' equity, rampant foreclosures devastating neighborhoods, and a falling homeownership rate that threatens … Continue Reading
March 8, 2011
JOHNSON STATEMENT ON FED AND CEA NOMINEES
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing to consider one nomination to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and two nominations to the Council of Economic Advisers. The Committee heard testimony from Dr. Peter Diamond, nominee to the Federal Reserve System Board of Governors, as well as Doctors Katharine Abraham and Carl Shapiro, nominees to the Council of Economic Advisers. "At present, our economy is recovering from one of the worst dow… Continue Reading
March 1, 2011
JOHNSON STATEMENT ON SEMIANNUAL MONETARY POLICY REPORT
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held a hearing on the Federal Reserve Bank's Semiannual Monetary Report to the Congress. The Committee heard from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, and discussed the ongoing economic recovery. "I am pleased that our economy continues to show positive signs of recovery - 2.8 percent growth in 2010 is a start," said Chairman Johnson. "But I remain concerned about sustaining the recovery and being able to strike the right balanc… Continue Reading
February 17, 2011
JOHNSON STATEMENT ON DODD-FRANK IMPLEMENTATION HEARING
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) held his first official hearing as chairman, and laid out his agenda for the 112th Congress. At the hearing, the Committee heard from regulators including Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke about their progress in implementing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. "There is important work ahead of us," said Chairman Johnson. "I am committed to an agenda that will bolster our economic recovery, make our financi… Continue Reading
February 11, 2011
JOHNSON STATEMENT ON HOUSING FINANCE REPORT
WASHINGTON - Today, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) issued the following statement on the housing finance report released by the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. "Maintaining a functioning housing finance system is an important part of the continuing economic recovery and one of my top priorities. I welcome the Administration's white paper which adds valuable insight to the ongoing conversation." "I am reviewing the new report… Continue Reading
