---
kind: "section"
citation: "12 U.S.C. § 4501"
title: "12"
title_heading: "Banks and Banking"
number: "4501"
heading: "Congressional findings"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/12/4501"
units:
  - "Chapter 46 — Government Sponsored Enterprises"
---

# §4501. Congressional findings


The Congress finds that—

- (1) the Federal National [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Association and the Federal Home Loan [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Corporation (referred to in this section collectively as the “[enterprises](/usc/12/4502.md?p=10)”), and the Federal Home Loan Banks (referred to in this section as the “Banks”), have important public missions that are reflected in the statutes and charter Acts establishing the Banks and the [enterprises](/usc/12/4502.md?p=10);
- (2) because the continued ability of the Federal National [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Association and the Federal Home Loan [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Corporation to accomplish their public missions is important to providing housing in the United States and the health of the Nation’s economy, more effective Federal regulation is needed to reduce the risk of failure of the [enterprises](/usc/12/4502.md?p=10);
- (3) considering the current operating procedures of the Federal National [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Association, the Federal Home Loan [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Corporation, and the Federal Home Loan Banks, the [enterprises](/usc/12/4502.md?p=10) and the Banks currently pose low financial risk of insolvency;
- (4) neither the [enterprises](/usc/12/4502.md?p=10) nor the Banks, nor any securities or obligations issued by the [enterprises](/usc/12/4502.md?p=10) or the Banks, are backed by the full faith and [credit](/usc/12/5481.md?p=7) of the United States;
- (5) an entity regulating the Federal National [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Association and the Federal Home Loan [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Corporation should have sufficient autonomy from the [enterprises](/usc/12/4502.md?p=10) and special interest groups;
- (6) an entity regulating such [enterprises](/usc/12/4502.md?p=10) should have the authority to establish capital standards, require financial disclosure, prescribe adequate standards for books and records and other internal controls, conduct examinations when necessary, and enforce compliance with the standards and rules that it establishes;
- (7) the Federal National [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Association and the Federal Home Loan [Mortgage](/usc/12/1707.md?p=a) Corporation have an affirmative obligation to facilitate the financing of affordable housing for low- and [moderate-income](/usc/12/4502.md?p=16) families in a manner consistent with their overall public purposes, while maintaining a strong financial condition and a reasonable economic return; and
- (8) the Federal Home Loan Bank Act [[12 U.S.C. 1421](/usc/12/1421.md) et seq.] should be amended to emphasize that providing for financial safety and soundness of the Federal Home Loan Banks is the primary mission of the Federal Housing Finance [Board](/usc/12/4502.md?p=4).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–550, title XIII, § 1302, Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3941.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Federal Home Loan Bank Act, referred to in par. (8), is act July 22, 1932, ch. 522, 47 Stat. 725, which is classified generally to chapter 11 (§ 1421 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1421 of this title and Tables.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title of 2008 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–289, § 1(a), July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2654, provided that: “This Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008’.”

Pub. L. 110–289, div. A, § 1001, July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2659, provided that: “This division [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008’.”

### Short Title

Pub. L. 102–550, title XIII, § 1301, Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3941, provided that: “This title [enacting this chapter, amending sections 1422a, 1430, 1430b, 1451 to 1456, 1716 to 1719, 1723, 1723a, and 1723c of this title, sections 3132 and 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, section 1905 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 3534 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1451, 1452, 1723, and 4562 of this title, and amending provisions set out as a note under section 1451 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992’.”