[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 365 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 365

To establish in the Department of Justice the Nationwide Mortgage Fraud 
  Task Force to address mortgage fraud in the United States, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 3, 2009

  Mr. Nelson of Florida introduced the following bill; which was read 
          twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish in the Department of Justice the Nationwide Mortgage Fraud 
  Task Force to address mortgage fraud in the United States, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Nationwide Mortgage Fraud Task Force 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. NATIONWIDE MORTGAGE FRAUD TASK FORCE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of 
Justice the Nationwide Mortgage Fraud Task Force (hereinafter referred 
to in this section as the ``Task Force'') to address mortgage fraud in 
the United States.
    (b) Support.--The Attorney General shall provide the Task Force 
with the appropriate staff, administrative support, and other resources 
necessary to carry out the duties of the Task Force.
    (c) Executive Director.--The Attorney General shall appoint one 
staff member provided to the Task Force to be the Executive Director of 
the Task Force and such Executive Director shall ensure that the duties 
of the Task Force are carried out.
    (d) Branches.--The Task Force shall establish, oversee, and direct 
branches in each of the 10 States determined by the Attorney General to 
have the highest concentration of mortgage fraud.
    (e) Mandatory Functions.--The Task Force, including the branches of 
the Task Force established under subsection (d), shall--
            (1) establish coordinating entities, and solicit the 
        voluntary participation of Federal, State, and local law 
        enforcement and prosecutorial agencies in such entities, to 
        organize initiatives to address mortgage fraud, including 
        initiatives to enforce State mortgage fraud laws and other 
        related Federal and State laws;
            (2) provide training to Federal, State, and local law 
        enforcement and prosecutorial agencies with respect to mortgage 
        fraud, including related Federal and State laws;
            (3) collect and disseminate data with respect to mortgage 
        fraud, including Federal, State, and local data relating to 
        mortgage fraud investigations and prosecutions; and
            (4) perform other functions determined by the Attorney 
        General to enhance the detection of, prevention of, and 
        response to mortgage fraud in the United States.
    (f) Optional Functions.--The Task Force, including the branches of 
the Task Force established under subsection (d), may--
            (1) initiate and coordinate Federal mortgage fraud 
        investigations and, through the coordinating entities 
        established under subsection (e), State and local mortgage 
        fraud investigations;
            (2) establish a toll-free hotline for--
                    (A) reporting mortgage fraud;
                    (B) providing the public with access to information 
                and resources with respect to mortgage fraud; and
                    (C) directing reports of mortgage fraud to the 
                appropriate Federal, State, and local law enforcement 
                and prosecutorial agency, including to the appropriate 
                branch of the Task Force established under subsection 
                (d);
            (3) create a database with respect to suspensions and 
        revocations of mortgage industry licenses and certifications to 
        facilitate the sharing of such information by States;
            (4) make recommendations with respect to the need for and 
        resources available to provide the equipment and training 
        necessary for the Task Force to combat mortgage fraud; and
            (5) propose legislation to Federal, State, and local 
        legislative bodies with respect to the elimination and 
        prevention of mortgage fraud, including measures to address 
        mortgage loan procedures and property appraiser practices that 
        provide opportunities for mortgage fraud.
    (g) Definition.--In this section, the term ``mortgage fraud'' means 
a material misstatement, misrepresentation, or omission relating to the 
property or potential mortgage relied on by an underwriter or lender to 
fund, purchase, or insure a loan.
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