Florida Politics: Charlie Crist named to three key financial services subcommitteesBy Phil AmmannCharlie Crist, as a member of the House Financial Services Committee, was tapped to serve on three of its principal subcommittees. The freshman St. Petersburg Democrat has been named to: — Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, which covers all matters relating to banking, including oversight of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, mortgages, and federal regulators of financial institutions; — Monetary Policy and Trade, which has jurisdiction over the Export-Import Bank and the International Monetary Fund as well as the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, which impacts access to capital and interest rates; and — Oversight and Investigation, which is tasked with overseeing administration actions relating to financial services to promote good governance in this sector. These assignments will serve as a complement to Crist’s work on the full committee, such as ensuring flood insurance is more affordable and enacting Wall Street reform. “Our work on the Financial Services Committee — and particularly these subcommittees — will have a direct impact on residents of Pinellas County,” Crist said in a statement. “I look forward to having the opportunity to affect policies to increase access to capital for small businesses, particularly women- and minority-owned businesses that drive our local economy, as well as defending the Export-Import Bank, which has supported $200 million in exports from Pinellas County businesses since 2012. On the Oversight Subcommittee, I will be a faithful watchdog on behalf of the people and their hard-earned tax dollars.” More information on the roles and responsibilities of Financial Services is available on the committee website. To view this article in its original format, click here. |