Political Quotes

Barney Frank: “I reclaim my time. Understand the difference, ``directed'' and ``allowed.'' Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac never originated…”

On the recordMarch 11, 2011
I reclaim my time. Understand the difference, ``directed'' and ``allowed.'' Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac never originated a loan. They could not have directed anybody to do anything. They were the secondary market. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could only get into action if some private entity made the loan in the first place. Beyond that, during the period when we had the increased subprime loans, which some of us were trying to ban, Fannie and Freddie were in a declining percentage. But I will yield again to the gentleman to tell me who directed the private sector to make these loans.
Said by
Barney Frank
Democratic · Massachusetts
Source
govinfo.gov
Mar 11, 2011

Editor's note · Context

The speaker is discussing the roles of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the housing market.

Share

More from Barney Frank

Oct 2, 2017

It was a great mistake to push lower income people into housing they couldn't afford and couldn't really handle once they had it.

congress.gov
Mar 29, 2017

One thing that not only Barney Frank, Ms. Barnes and also Sandra Day O'Connor, Justice O'Connor agreed on is that that Kelo decision stripped those three words out of the Fifth Amendment, 'for public use.'

congress.gov
Jul 12, 2017

We should have made it much higher, $125 billion or more, and we should have indexed it.

congress.gov
Oct 21, 2019

I think it is clear that Fannie and Freddie are sufficiently secure so they are in no great danger.

congress.gov

Other voices in this conversation