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Washington Roundup

Analysis: Fed's proposed rules are a victory for banks
This week, the Federal Reserve outlined proposed regulations for the banking sector that offered lenders a bit of relief. Earlier, regulators discussed imposing higher capital cushions than required by the Basel III rules. The latest proposals, however, do not go beyond the global rules. CNBC(12/21)

Opinion: SEC shines light on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Congressional Democrats have long argued that private banks caused the housing boom and bust, and that the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's roles were incidental. "This was always a politically convenient fiction, and now thanks to the unlikely source of the Securities and Exchange Commission we have a trail of evidence showing how the failed mortgage giants turbocharged the crisis," this Wall Street Journal opinion piece says. The Wall Street Journal(12/22)