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LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL FOR TREASURY AUTHORITY
TO PURCHASE MORTGAGE-RELATED ASSETS

Section 1. Short Title.
This Act may be cited as

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Sec. 2. Purchases of Mortgage-Related Assets.
(a) Authority to Purchase.--The Secretary is authorized to purchase, and to make
and fund commitments to purchase, on such terms and conditions as determined by the
Secretary, mortgage-related assets from any fmancial institution having its headquarters
in the United States.
(b) Necessary Actions.--The Secretary is authorized to take such actions as the
Secretary deems necessary to carry out the authorities in this Act, including, without
limitation:
(1) appointing such employees as may be required to carry out the
authorities in this Act and defining their duties;
(2) entering into contracts, including contracts for services authorized by
section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, without regard to any other provision
of law regarding public contracts;
(3) designating financial institutions as financial agents of the
Government, and they shall perform all such reasonable duties related to this Act
as financial agents of the Government as may be required of them;
(4) establishing vehicles that are authorized, subject to supervision by the
Secretary, to purchase mortgage-related assets and issue obligations; and
(5) issuing such regulations and other guidance as may be necessary or
appropriate to define terms or cany out the authorities of this Act.
Sec. 3. Considerations.
In exercising the authorities granted in this Act, the Secretary shall take into
consideration means for-(1) providing stability or preventing disruption to the financial markets or banking
system; and
(2) protecting the taxpayer.

Sec. 4. Reports to Congress.
Within tlu·ee months of the first exercise of the authority granted in section 2(a),
and semiannually thereafter, the Secretary shall report to the Committees on the Budget,
Financial Services, and Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the
Committees on the Budget, Finance, and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the
Senate with respect to the authorities exercised under this Act and the considerations
required by section 3.
Sec. 5. Rights; Management; Sale of Mortgage-Related Assets.
(a) Exercise of Rights.--The Secretary may, at any time, exercise any rights
received in connection with mortgage-related assets purchased under this Act.
(b) Management of Mmigage-Related Assets.--The Secretary shall have authority
to manage mortgage-related assets purchased under this Act, including revenues and
pmifolio risks therefrom.
(c) Sale of Mmigage-Related Assets.--The Secretary may, at any time, upon
terms and conditions and at prices determined by the Secretary, sell, or enter into
securities loans, repurchase transactions or other financial transactions in regard to, any
mmigage-related asset purchased under this Act.
(d) Application of Sunset to Mortgage-Related Assets.--The authority of the
Secretary to hold any mmigage-related asset purchased under this Act before the
te1mination date in section 9, or to purchase or fund the purchase of a mmigage-related
asset under a commitment entered into before the te1mination date in section 9, is not
subject to the provisions of section 9.
Sec.

6.

Maximum Amount of Authorized Purchases.

The Secretary's authority to purchase mmigage-related assets under this Act shall
be limited to $700,000,000,000 outstanding at any one time
Sec. 7. Funding.
For the purpose of the authorities granted in this Act, and for the costs of
administering those authorities, the Secretary may use the proceeds of the sale of any
securities issued under chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, and the purposes for
which securities may be issued under chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, are
extended to include actions authorized by this Act, including the payment of
administrative expenses. Any funds expended for actions authorized by this Act,
including the payment of administrative expenses, shall be deemed appropriated at the
time of such expenditure.
Sec. 8. Review.

Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non­
reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of
law or any administrative agency.
Sec. 9. Termination of Authority.
The authorities under this Act, with the exception of authorities granted in
sections 2(b)(5), 5 and 7, shall terminate two years from the date of enactment of this
Act.
Sec. 10. Increase in Statutory Limit on the Public Debt.
Subsection (b) of section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by
striking out the dollar limitation contained in such subsection and inserting in lieu thereof
$11,315,000,000,000.
Sec. 11. Credit Refmm.
The costs of purchases of mortgage-related assets made under section 2(a) of this
Act shall be determined as provided under the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, as
applicable.
Sec. 12. Definitions.
For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) Mortgage-Related Assets.--The term "mortgage-related assets" means
residential or commercial mmtgages and any securities, obligations, or other instruments
that are based on or related to such mortgages, that in each case was originated or issued
on or before September 17, 2008.
(2) Secretary.--The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Treasury.
(3) United States.--The term "United States" means the States, territories, and
possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia.