Democratic Senators Call for Streamlined PPP Forgiveness Application

Senate

All 45 Democratic senators are pushing the Trump Administration to develop a streamlined process for the smallest businesses to obtain loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program.

The 45 senators, in a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza, did not go as far as credit union trade groups, which have called for automatic loan forgiveness for certain borrowers.

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Hood Asks Congress to Boost Member Business Lending Cap and Decrease Capital Requirements

Senate

Amid some opposition from a key Democrat, NCUA Chairman Rodney Hood told the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday that Congress should decrease capital standards for credit unions, as they respond to economic problems caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Hood said that he would like Congress to authorize a temporary reduction in minimum capital requirements—reducing the level at which credit unions are considered well capitalized from a net-worth ratio of 7% to 6%. He said that the level for “adequately capitalized” credit unions should be cut from 6% to 5%.

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Postal Banking Returns

Senate

Postal banking is back.

As policymakers battle over how to deal with the mounting losses facing the United States Postal Service, supporters of a plan to allow post offices to provide basic financial services are renewing their arguments that postal banking could help save the system.

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Harper: Don’t Change CU Capital Standards

Senate

Clashing with NCUA Chairman Rodney Hood, board member Todd Harper is asking Congress not to reduce credit union capital standards in response to the coronavirus crisis.

“Reductions in capital standards could ultimately lead to greater losses for the Share Insurance Fund, which all surviving federally insured credit unions would need to pay,” Harper wrote to leaders of the House and Senate committees with NCUA oversight powers.

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