Senate “Very Close” on Financial Deal

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


The Senate banking committee is reportedly “very, very, very close” to reaching a deal on a consumer-protection agency, which in turn could lead to a breakthrough on a broader agreement on financial-reform legislation. The latest news from the Senate’s grueling, ongoing talks is that several more Senate Republicans—Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH)—have joined the negotiations already being lead by Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), chair of the banking committee, and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Dodd’s main GOP negotiator, the Wall Street Journal reports. It’s unclear why the additional Senate GOPers jumped on board, perhaps to help finish off the closed-door talks.

The WSJ also reported that a deal to house a consumer-protection agency within the Federal Reserve, an idea of Corker’s, remained on the table. The Fed option has been roundly panned by consumer advocates—John Taylor, president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, said he’d rather put the agency at the National Zoo than the Fed—and if passed, would be viewed as a win for the Big Finance. The Senate’s financial-reform negotiations continue today, and a agreement within the banking committee could come as early as this week.

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate