Marquis: Nondiscrimination a Supervisory Priority at NCUA

WASHINGTON — NCUA Director of Examination & Insurance Dave Marquis told a congressional subcommittee today that NCUA watches out for discriminatory practices in a number of ways and that it is a priority at the agency. “NCUA places a priority on ensuring that credit unions comply with all nondiscrimination laws and work to protect consumers against discriminatory or unfair home mortgage lending practices,” Marquis said during a hearing in the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. The agency accomplishes this through the exam process, by reviewing member complaints, and analyzing Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. The most recent HMDA data showed that during 2006, nearly 5,600 federally insured credit unions provided mortgage loans, comprising approximately 2% of the mortgage market. He noted that NCUA has issued fines in the last couple of years to prompt timelier filings. Marquis added, “Credit union members are entitled to fair treatment, not because the law says so, but because they own the institution. When treatment is unfair and within the law, NCUA steps in to ensure no member is subject to discrimination.”