Kanjorski Legislative Director Named One of Top 100 Hill Staffers

WASHINGTON - Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) today praised his Legislative Director Todd Harper upon being named one of the Top 100 Hill Staffers by National Journal. The magazine recently featured a profile of Mr. Harper in its special edition entitled "The Hill 100: Profiles of congressional staffers playing key behind-the-scenes roles this year." National Journal is one of the nation's leading bipartisan magazines focusing on politics, policy and government. Mr. Harper was recognized for his specialized expertise on the issue of Government-Sponsored Entities (GSEs). The House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a bill (65 - 5) that would create a new, tougher regulator for GSEs. Congressman Kanjorski, with Mr. Harper's assistance, played an integral role in crafting this bill (H.R. 1416), which will be considered by the full House of Representatives in the near future.

"I am very gratified that Todd has received this well-deserved recognition. I have been Member of Congress since 1985, and I can honestly say that Todd is one of the most competent staff members in my memory. In this business, it is vital to surround yourself with people you completely trust and who have an expansive variety of knowledge. As one of my most trusted advisers, Todd can always be counted on to give me accurate and unbiased information. I rely on him to keep me up-to-date on the latest developments regarding the legislative issues and projects on which we are working," Congressman Kanjorski said. "His expertise has been especially helpful in working to solve local problems, such as the high rate of foreclosures on homes purchased in the Poconos. His input was invaluable in drafting H.R. 1295, which Congressman Bob Ney of Ohio and I introduced to combat abusive home lending practices."

Mr. Harper said he was surprised when National Journal called him. "I prefer to work behind the scenes in helping Congressman Kanjorski advance his legislative agenda," Mr. Harper said. "Still, it is a real honor to receive this distinction.  It helps me to realize that I am achieving my professional goals of being seen as an expert on policy issues and knowledgeable of the political process."

Mr. Harper was selected for this top honor out of 17,276 staff members who work for the U.S. Congress. Mr. Harper, 38, has worked for Congressman Kanjorski since 1996, a notable tenure in a business that often has a high turnover rate.

Mr. Harper attributes that to his boss. "Congressman Kanjorski is a great boss and has assembled a great team to assist him in helping the residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania," Mr. Harper explained.

Mr. Harper grew up in northwest Indiana and graduated from Indiana University with a degree in business analysis. He earned his graduate degree in public policy from the prestigious John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Congressman Kanjorski asked Mr. Harper to be his legislative director in 1999. In that same year, Mr. Harper became a key staff member for the House Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Entities, of which Congressman Kanjorski has served as the ranking Democrat since 1995.

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* Editor's Note: A photograph of Todd Harper and Congressman Kanjorski outside the Capitol will be emailed to your newsroom for use with this profile. If you have any problems with the format, please contact Gretchen at 202-225-6511 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The article and profile are attached and can be viewed at the following links:

http://nationaljournal.com/members/news/2005/hill100/gse.htm#2

http://nationaljournal.com/members/news/2005/hill100/

04-09-2005

GSE Reform - Fannie and Freddie In the Dock

Lisa Caruso and Bara Vaida
© National Journal Group, Inc.

Lobbyists for mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been so successful at fending off previous attempts to tighten federal oversight, the two government-sponsored enterprises have long been considered politically untouchable. But they may soon see their luck run out on Capitol Hill.

Congress chartered Fannie in 1968 as the Federal National Mortgage Association and Freddie in 1970 as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to pump additional capital into the home-mortgage market, particularly to provide affordable housing to low- and moderate-income homebuyers. But recent accounting scandals at both mortgage giants have renewed the push for legislation to strengthen their regulator, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

As "government-sponsored enterprises," or GSEs, Fannie and Freddie benefit from the market perception that the federal government would never let them fail. But Republican hard-liners want to replace the OFHEO with an independent agency that would have the power to close them down in the event of a financial crisis. Democratic supporters of the GSEs concede the need for tighter controls, but insist that nothing should be done to hamper Fannie and Freddie in their affordable-housing mission.

Rep. Richard Baker, R-La., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee's Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, has launched a new round of hearings this year and introduced legislation on April 5. Baker's bill would reform Fannie and Freddie, and also tighten oversight of the Federal Home Loan Bank system, a GSE that Congress set up in 1932 to help commercial banks make mortgage loans and that has also had accounting irregularities in recent years. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., who chairs the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, has also begun holding hearings, and calls GSE reform the panel's "top agenda item."

Todd Harper

Legislative Director, Office of Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa.

Professional Staff Member

House Financial Services Committee

Harper laughs that he got "thrown into the fire" in 1999 after Kanjorski, the ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services subcommittee that oversees government-sponsored enterprises, asked him to be his legislative director and key aide on banking issues.

Harper, who had been working for Kanjorski since 1996, landed in the midst of the panel's consideration of what became the huge financial-services overhaul bill known as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. GSEs are "fascinating" entities, Harper said, and "it's important to look at why we created them." He cites the reason as "a perceived market failure to provide affordable housing [and] to provide liquidity to the banks" for housing loans.

Harper grew up in northwest Indiana and graduated from Indiana University. He spent his fall 1989 semester in Washington, and then returned in 1990 to work in the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Because he wanted to "affect policy at the macro level" from Capitol Hill, he earned a graduate degree from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Preparing for an intense year, Harper, 37, said he wants to give his boss "the best and most honest advice possible," as Kanjorski pushes for legislation to ensure that safety and soundness standards for the GSEs are "appropriate" and "proper." It's important to keep in mind the unique role of GSEs, Harper says, and to make sure "they can continue providing affordable housing products and programs."