SERVICER SAFE HARBOR BILL SENT TO OBAMA - By a 367-54 vote, the House of Representatives has passed the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, S.896, sending the bill to President Obama for signature. The bill amends Hope for Homeowners (H4H) … and offers a safe harbor for servicers performing modifications according to Treasury guidelines.  … reduces fee levels, provides greater incentives for servicers to engage in modifications under the program and reduces administrative burdens to loan underwriters. - MORTGAGEORB.COM 
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U.S. Rescue Aid Entrenches Itself - DAMIAN PALETTA, DAVID ENRICH and DEBORAH SOLOMON - Beyond TARP, Federal Lifelines Look Lasting; ‘This Is Going to Take Time’ - Wall Street Journal

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Geithner Says Treasury May Move ‘Quickly’ to Sell TARP Warrants -  By Rebecca Christie -  “What I’m reluctant to do is have the government be in a position where we hold these investments for a long period of time, longer than is desirable, in the hopes that we’re going to maximize value.” … - Bloomberg 
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Fed could be completely retooled, Geithner says - Commentary: Regulators shouldn’t be tied too closely to the banks - The Federal Reserve, created nearly 100 years ago in the aftermath of a financial panic, could be transformed into a different agency as the Obama administration reinvents the way government interacts with the financial system. - MarketWatch

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Research Primer: Current IMF Lending Arrangements - Ever wonder where the International Monetary Fund money goes? If so check out this handy map of the IMF’s current lending arrangements. - Research Recap

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Neuberger Berman won’t take part in PPIP-CEO - … The Public Private Investment Program, set forth by the Obama administration to cleanse the banking system of toxic loans and securities, has too many unanswered questions, he said. … - Reuters

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Recession Hits the Treasury - News of enormous federal deficits comes as little surprise to people these days. But one recent report ignored by the mainstream media in favor of the more rating-friendly “green shoots” in the economy story should come as quite a surprise to many… - Casey’s Charts