H.R. 4173: A National Underwriter Guide to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

Congress is poised to start a transformation of the U.S. financial services sector by passing the H.R. 4173 conference report.

The H.R. 4173, the bill probably would have more of a direct effect on banks and securities firms than on life insurers, but sections would, for example, create a Federal Insurance Office at the U.S. Treasury Department and overhaul the laws governing the rating agencies. Other sections could classify most indexed annuities as insurance products, change marketing rules for all annuities, affect life insurance companies’ hedging arrangements, and give a federal entity a role in resolving problems at large, troubled insurers.

The House already has passed the H.R. 4173, and Senate leaders hope to bring the bill up for consideration there Thursday.

Here is an updated version of a H.R. 4173 coverage guide that we ran in May, back in the prehistoric days when the Senate version of the bill was still called S. 3217.

H.R. 4173 Conference Report

H.R. 4173 Conference Report: Primary Sources

• Library of Congress Bill Summary And Status Page
• Conference Report Summary
• Conference Report
• Conference Report Base Text Amendments
• Conference Base Text

H.R. 4173 Conference Report: Standard Of Care

• Fiduciary Norm Still in Play
• H.R. 4173: Senate Conferees Mull Fiduciary Standard Issue

H.R. 4173 Conference Report: Indexed Annuities

• Sigh of Relief for EIA Sellers
• EIAs To Remain State Regulated
• H.R. 4173: Senate Conferees Back Indexed Annuity Proposal
• H.R. 4173: The Indexed Annuity Amendment Lives
• H.R. 4173: Harkin Moves Ball On Annuities
• Indexed Annuity Provision Back In Play

H.R. 4173 Conference Report: Other Issues

• Conferees Clash On Preemption, Reject Rater Chooser Amendment
• Volcker Rule Vote Leaves Life Insurers Hungry
• Financial Reform Casts Shadow On Industry

H.R. 4173 Conference Report: Reactions

• NAIC Backs House Version of H.R. 4173

H.R. 4173 Conference Report: The People

• Lawmakers To Confer On Financial Reform

H.R. 4173 Conference Report: The Horse Race

• H.R. 4173: Snowe Is In
• H.R. 4173: Mr. Brown Comes Around
• The Changing Face of Financial Regulation Reform
• Financial Reform Bill Heads to Floor
• H.R. 4173: Herding the Butterflies
• Brown Talks, Democrats Listen
• H.R. 4173: But Wait, Theres More . . .
• Financial Bill Heads to Floor of Congress
• H.R. 4173: The White House Is Ready To Rumble
• H.R. 4173 Reconciliation Players Start The Game

S. 3217

S. 3217: Primary Sources

• Links to the official version of S. 3217 and the legislative history
• The original S. 3217 draft
• A summary of the original draft of S. 3217
• A Congressional Budget Office analysis of S. 3217

S. 3217: Standard Of Care

• Dodd Bill Likely To Propose Study Of Fiduciary Standard
• Agents Seek Delay On Moves To Create Single Suitability Standard
• Groups Oppose Fiduciary Mandate
• Dodd Bill Imposes Fiduciary Standard

S. 3217: Insurer Oversight

• Volcker Rule May Exempt Life Insurers
• Dodd Bill: Industry Might Escape Bailout Pre-Funding Fees
• Proposed Dodd Bill Would Hike Federal Regulation of Insurers
• Industry Facing Crush Of Issues

S. 3217: Derivatives

• Industry Working To Get Carve-Outs In Financial Reform Legislation

S. 3217: Federal Insurance Office

• Merkley S. 3217 Amendment Would Leash Insurance Office
• Dodd Unveils Insurance Office Proposal

S. 3217: Reactions

• AALU Meeting: Gingrich Calls For Changes
• Corker, Nelson Weigh In On Dodd Bill
• Insurance Groups Back Financial Services Reform
• NAIFA: What Did The Fiduciary Standard Do To Stop Madoff?
• Dodd Bill: Industry Groups See Worms In That Can

S. 3217: The People

• Two Democrats Dodd And Dorgan To Retire From Senate
• Dodd Sticks With Banking
• Senate Shift Could Affect Federal Charter Effort

S. 3217: The Horse Race

• S. 3217 Becomes H.R. 4173, Passes In Senate
• S. 3217: Senate Votes 60-40 To Pass Cloture Motion
• S. 3217: Senate Schedules Cloture Vote
• S. 3217 May Be Nearing A Vote
• S. 3217: The Ice Broke
• S. 3217: Dodd Wins Over Collins
• Financial Services Reform Battle Gets Hotter
• Senate Financial Bill Action Heats Up
• Financial Reform By Memorial Day? That Seems To Be The Goal
• Financial Services Bill Heads To Senate Floor
• Dodd Says Soon On Financial Reform Bill
• Dodd, Frank: Reform Bill Due Dec. 31

H.R. 4173

H.R. 4173: Primary Sources

• Links to the official version of H.R. 4173 and legislative history. :
• A Congressional Budget Office analysis of H.R. 4173

H.R. 4173: Overview

• Houses Passes H.R. 4173 Advisor Amendment; Adopts Manager’s Amendment Full Of Interesting Provisions
• Obama Unveils White Paper

H.R. 4173: Standard Of Care

• NAIFA Welcomes H.R. 4173 Fiduciary Standard Language
• Fiduciary Standard Causing Jitters
• Agents Win Fiduciary Standard Safe Harbor Battle

H.R. 4173: Insurer Oversight

• Consultants: Prefunding Bailouts Could Promote Bad Behavior
• Insurance Groups Oppose Pre-Funding Bailout Program
• Frank: Kill Ailing Giants

H.R. 4173: Derivatives

• House Financial Services OKs Derivatives Draft
• ACLI To Congress: Be Careful About Swaps
• CFPA Scope May Narrow

H.R. 4173: Federal Insurance Office

• Bill Would Create Fed Insurance Office
• Ways And Means Seeks Insurance Office Bill Role
• NCOIL Defends State Role

H.R. 4173: Consumer Protection

• Panel OKs Investor Protection Act Bill
• House Panel OKs CFPA Bill; Narrows Scope
• NAIFA Seeks Investor Act Changes

H.R. 4173: The Horse Race

• Many Bullets Dodged In Financial Services Reform
• Health Reform, Financial Services Regulation Dominated The D.C. Agenda
• Houses Passes Financial Package 223-202
• Frank Packages Financial Bills For Quick Consideration
• House Panel OKs Insurance Office And Stability Bills

-ab