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November 19, 2014

NAFCU, others flag Senate appropriations lender fee

NAFCU, with eight other organizations, on Wednesday warned that language creating a fee for lenders in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies fiscal 2015 spending bill "is overly broad and could negatively impact consumers and lenders alike."

The provision, contained in S. 2438 – already approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee – would assess a fee on lenders to fund certain risk management improvements in the Federal Housing Administration program. The House-passed version would not authorize HUD to charge this fee, the letter noted.

The organizations aired concern about the overall impact of the new administrative support fee, which would generate an estimated $30 million annually from lenders. The fee would be retroactive, so it would raise costs on mortgages that have already been originated and insured.

The letter was sent to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., Ranking Member Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and subcommittee Chairman Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Ranking Member Susan Collins, R-Maine.

An identical letter was sent to members of the House Appropriations Committee, including Chairman Harold Rogers, R-Ky., and Ranking Member Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., and subcommittee Chairman Tom Latham, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ed Pastor, D-Ariz.

The letter was signed by NAFCU, the American Bankers Association, American Land Title Association, CUNA, Housing Policy Council, Independent Community Bankers of America, Leading Builders of America, Mortgage Bankers Association and National Association of Home Builders.