And one of the challenges I see is what if we completely eliminate the GSEs, as some are proposing?

And, of course, those costs would be significant over the life of a loan.

Let me ask you, Professor Levitin, in the days before GSEs, loans were generally renewed every 3 to 5--or due every 3 to 5 years and had to be refinanced all the time because lenders were not willing to make 30-year commitments.

What concerns me is that if others who are engaged do the same as the IMF and Norway have in holding back funds, we will be left on our own to face the challenges that I just discussed with Mr. Thier.

I am going to be particularly interested in how, Mr. Cordray, you intend to balance the needs of consumer protection with the need for community financial institutions to provide loans to homeowners and to small businesses.

It would certainly seem to me that community banks would think that is highly unfair.

Isn't it true that without a Director the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau does have supervisory authority over large banks?

you seem to have a strong record on consumer protection issues

I want to thank Attorney General Cordray for accepting a nomination under very difficult circumstances and for his appearance here today.

Mr. President, I wanted to come to the floor to talk about the deal the Senate will vote on sometime later tonight or tomorrow. Before I do, I want to say to my distinguished colleague from North Dakota, the chairman of the Budget…

I and others have called for Assad to step down as long ago as August 2011.