12 U.S.C. § 1723a
General powers of Government National Mortgage Association and Federal National Mortgage Association
Each of the bodies corporate named in section 1717(a)(2) of this title shall have power to adopt, alter, and use a corporate seal, which shall be judicially noticed; to enter into and perform contracts, leases, cooperative agreements, or other transactions, on such terms as it may deem appropriate, with any agency or instrumentality of the United States, or with any State, Territory, or possession, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or with any political subdivision thereof, or with any person, firm, association, or corporation; to execute, in accordance with its bylaws, all instruments necessary or appropriate in the exercise of any of its powers; in its corporate name, to sue and to be sued, and to complain and to defend, in any court of competent jurisdiction, State or Federal, but no attachment, injunction, or other similar process, mesne or final, shall be issued against the property of the Association or against the Association with respect to its property; to conduct its business without regard to any qualification or similar statute in any State of the United States, including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Territories and possessions of the United States; to lease, purchase, or acquire any property, real, personal, or mixed, or any interest therein, to hold, rent, maintain, modernize, renovate, improve, use, and operate such property, and to sell, for cash or credit, lease, or otherwise dispose of the same, at such time and in such manner as and to the extent that it may deem necessary or appropriate; to prescribe, repeal, and amend or modify, rules, regulations, or requirements governing the manner in which its general business may be conducted; to accept gifts or donations of services, or of property, real, personal, or mixed, tangible, or intangible, in aid of any of its purposes; and to do all things as are necessary or incidental to the proper management of its affairs and the proper conduct of its business.
Except as may be otherwise provided in this subchapter, in chapter 91 of title 31, or in other laws specifically applicable to Government corporations, the Association shall determine the necessity for and the character and amount of its obligations and expenditures and the manner in which they shall be incurred, allowed, paid, and accounted for.
No individual, association, partnership, or corporation, except the bodies corporate named in section 1717(a)(2) of this title, shall hereafter use the words “Federal National Mortgage Association,” “Government National Mortgage Association,” or any combination of such words, as the name or a part thereof under which the individual, association, partnership, or corporation shall do business. Violations of the foregoing sentence may be enjoined by any court of general jurisdiction at the suit of the proper body corporate. In any such suit, the plaintiff may recover any actual damages flowing from such violation, and, in addition, shall be entitled to punitive damages (regardless of the existence or nonexistence of actual damages) of not exceeding $100 for each day during which such violation is committed or repeated.
In order that the Association may be supplied with such forms of obligations or certificates as it may need for issuance under this subchapter, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized, upon request of the Association, to prepare such forms as shall be suitable and approved by the Association, to be held in the Treasury subject to delivery, upon order of the Association. The engraved plates, dies, bed pieces, and other material executed in connection therewith shall remain in the custody of the Secretary of the Treasury. The Association shall reimburse the Secretary of the Treasury for any expenses incurred in the preparation, custody, and delivery of such forms.
The Federal Reserve banks are authorized and directed to act as depositaries, custodians, and fiscal agents for each of the bodies corporate named in section 1717(a)(2) of this title, for its own account or as fiduciary, and such banks shall be reimbursed for such services in such manner as may be agreed upon; and each of such bodies corporate may itself act in such capacities, for its own account or as fiduciary, and for the account of others.
Section 806 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is section 806 of Pub. L. 93–383, title VIII,
The Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, referred to in subsec. (n)(1), (2)(A), is title XIII of Pub. L. 102–550,
Pub. L. 110–289, § 1161(b)(2)(C), which directed amendment of par. (3)(B) of this section, was executed to par. (3)(B) of subsec. (n) of this section, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. See 2008 Amendment note below.
Prior provisions on the subject of subsecs. (a) and (c) to (e) of this section were contained in sections 1716, 1719, and 1721 of this title.
2008—Subsec. (d)(3)(B). Pub. L. 110–289, § 1161(b)(1), substituted “Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency” for “Director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development”.
Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 110–289, § 1113(b)(1), added par. (4).
Subsec. (k)(1). Pub. L. 110–289, § 1161(b)(1), substituted “Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency” for “Director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development”.
Subsec. (m)(1), (2). Pub. L. 110–289, § 1161(b)(2)(A), substituted “to the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, in a form determined by the Director” for “to the Secretary, in a form determined by the Secretary” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (n)(1). Pub. L. 110–289, § 1161(b)(2)(B)(i), substituted “and the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency” for “and the Secretary”.
Subsec. (n)(2)(E), (L). Pub. L. 110–289, § 1161(b)(2)(B)(ii), substituted “Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency” for “Secretary”.
Subsec. (n)(3)(B). Pub. L. 110–289, § 1161(b)(2)(C), substituted “Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency” for “Secretary”. See Codification note above.
2004—Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 108–271 substituted “Government Accountability Office” for “General Accounting Office” wherever appearing.
1992—Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 102–550, § 1381(s)(3)(A)(ii), which directed the substitution, in last sentence, of “the basic pay of such persons” for “his basic pay”, was executed by making the substitution in penultimate sentence to reflect the probable intent of Congress, because the words “his basic pay” do not appear in last sentence.
Pub. L. 102–550, § 1381(j)(1), (s)(3)(A)(i), in first sentence, substituted “as the board of directors determines reasonable and comparable with compensation for employment in other similar businesses (including other publicly held financial institutions or major financial services companies) involving similar duties and responsibilities, except that a significant portion of potential compensation of all executive officers (as such term is defined in paragraph (3)(C)) of the corporation shall be based on the performance of the corporation” for “as it may determine” and in third sentence “the employment of such officer or employee” for “his employment” in two places.
Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 102–550, § 1381(j)(2), added par. (3).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–550, § 1381(s)(3)(B), substituted “the individual, association, partnership, or corporation” for “he or it”.
Subsecs. (h), (i). Pub. L. 102–550, § 1381(k), struck out subsec. (h) which related to regulatory power over Federal National Mortgage Association, approval for issuance of stock and other instruments, relation of mortgage purchases to national goal, audits, and a report to Congress and subsec. (i) which related to requests for approval submitted by Federal National Mortgage Association to Secretary, report to Congress, extension of approval period, and effect of inaction by Secretary.
Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 102–550, § 1381(l), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted first sentence and struck out former first sentence which read as follows: “The mortgage transactions of the corporation may be subject to audit by the Comptroller General of the United States in accordance with the principles and procedures applicable to commercial corporation transactions under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Comptroller General.”, and added par. (2).
Subsecs. (k) to (o). Pub. L. 102–550, § 1381(m)–(q), added subsecs. (k) to (o), respectively.
1989—Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 101–73 added subsec. (j).
1988—Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 100–242 inserted at end of second sentence “, but such 45-day period may not be extended for any other reason or for any period in addition to or other than such 15-day period”.
1984—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–479 substituted “chapter 91 of title 31” for “the Government Corporation Control Act”.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 98–440, §§ 208, 213(a), substituted “issued by the corporation before
Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 98–440, § 209, added subsec. (i).
1977—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 95–128 inserted provision for review of the financial operations of the corporation and a study respecting how the activities of the corporation meet the purposes of this subchapter and transmittal of the review and study to the Congress.
1976—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 94–375 substituted “Subject to the provisions of section 1723(a) of this title, the Secretary” for “The Secretary”.
1974—Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 93–383 inserted “positions listed” before “in section 5312” and proviso relating to persons whose employment is subject to the civil service law by section 806 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, and substituted reference to
1972—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 92–310 struck out provisions which related to bonds of officers, attorneys, employees, and agents of the Association and which permitted the Association to pay the premiums therefor.
1968—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–448, § 802(z), among other changes, expanded scope to include both the Government National Mortgage Association and the Federal National Mortgage Association, substituted “conduct its business without regard to any qualification or similar statute” for “conduct its business”, and struck out provisions which empowered the Federal National Mortgage Association, by its board of directors, to adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 90–448, § 802(aa), designated existing provisions as par. (1), and struck out provisions which required the Association, with respect to its secondary market operations under section 1719 of this title, to pay annually to the Secretary of the Treasury an amount equivalent to the amount of Federal income taxes for which it would be subject if it were not exempt from such taxes with respect to such secondary market operations, and added par. (2).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 90–448, § 802(bb), designated existing provisions as par. (1), substituted “Secretary of Housing and Urban Development” for “Chairman of the Board”, and “agents of the Association” for “agents”, and added par. (2).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 90–448, § 802(cc), prohibited the use of the name Government National Mortgage Association, authorized injunctions, and permitted recovery of actual damages and punitive damages, and eliminated provisions which made violations of this subsection a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $100 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both, for each day during which the violation is committed or repeated.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 90–448, § 802(dd), authorized and directed the Federal Reserve Banks to act for the Government National Mortgage Association, and empowered each of the bodies corporate to act as depositary, custodian, and fiscal agent, for its own account or as fiduciary, and for the account of others.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 90–448, § 802(ee), added subsec. (h).
1961—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 87–70 inserted “or other security holdings” after “mortgages”.
Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs of House of Representatives treated as referring to Committee on Banking and Financial Services of House of Representatives by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 104–14, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 2, The Congress. Committee on Banking and Financial Services of House of Representatives abolished and replaced by Committee on Financial Services of House of Representatives, and jurisdiction over matters relating to securities and exchanges and insurance generally transferred from Committee on Energy and Commerce of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Seventh Congress,
Pub. L. 93–383, title VIII, § 806(k),
For effective date of amendment by title VIII of Pub. L. 90–448, see section 808 of Pub. L. 90–448, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1716b of this title.
Advisory councils established after
Pub. L. 96–399, title III, § 330,
“Director of the Office of Personnel Management” substituted for “United States Civil Service Commission” pursuant to Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1978, § 102, 43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783, set out under section 1101 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, which transferred functions vested by statute in United States Civil Service Commission to Director of Office of Personnel Management (except as otherwise specified), effective