Bailout could help stem foreclosures
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Scott Jagow: The government releases the latest data on home sales today. Still not expecting much good news. But there’s a new push in Congress to help homeowners who are struggling. Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall Genzer has more on that.
Nancy Marshall Genzer: House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank is drafting new legislation. It would require some of the remaining federal bailout money to be used to help stem home foreclosures and reduce mortgage rates.
The Massachusetts Democrat says his bill would include some ideas from FDIC chair Sheila Bair. She wants to spend $24 billion on incentives to encourage lenders to modify more loans to keep struggling borrowers in their homes.
Frank’s legislation would also put policies in place at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that would lead to lower interest rates. He wants the second half of the $700 billion in bailout money to be released next month — even before President-elect Barack Obama takes office.
In Washington, I’m Nancy Marshall Genzer for Marketplace.
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