The Secretary may—

(1) examine any books, papers, records, or other data of any loan originator operating in any State which is subject to a licensing system established by the Secretary under section 5107 of this title; and

(2) summon any loan originator referred to in paragraph (1) or any person having possession, custody, or care of the reports and records relating to such loan originator, to appear before the Secretary or any delegate of the Secretary at a time and place named in the summons and to produce such books, papers, records, or other data, and to give testimony, under oath, as may be relevant or material to an investigation of such loan originator for compliance with the requirements of this chapter.

If the Secretary establishes a licensing system under section 5107 of this title for any State, the Secretary shall appoint examiners for the purposes of administering such section.

Any examiner appointed under paragraph (1) shall have power, on behalf of the Secretary, to make any examination of any loan originator operating in any State which is subject to a licensing system established by the Secretary under section 5107 of this title whenever the Secretary determines an examination of any loan originator is necessary to determine the compliance by the originator with this chapter.

Each examiner appointed under paragraph (1) shall make a full and detailed report of examination of any loan originator examined to the Secretary.

In connection with examinations of loan originators operating in any State which is subject to a licensing system established by the Secretary under section 5107 of this title, or with other types of investigations to determine compliance with applicable law and regulations, the Secretary and examiners appointed by the Secretary may administer oaths and affirmations and examine and take and preserve testimony under oath as to any matter in respect to the affairs of any such loan originator.

The cost of conducting any examination of any loan originator operating in any State which is subject to a licensing system established by the Secretary under section 5107 of this title shall be assessed by the Secretary against the loan originator to meet the Secretary's expenses in carrying out such examination.

If the Secretary finds, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that any person is violating, has violated, or is about to violate any provision of this chapter, or any regulation thereunder, with respect to a State which is subject to a licensing system established by the Secretary under section 5107 of this title, the Secretary may publish such findings and enter an order requiring such person, and any other person that is, was, or would be a cause of the violation, due to an act or omission the person knew or should have known would contribute to such violation, to cease and desist from committing or causing such violation and any future violation of the same provision, rule, or regulation. Such order may, in addition to requiring a person to cease and desist from committing or causing a violation, require such person to comply, or to take steps to effect compliance, with such provision or regulation, upon such terms and conditions and within such time as the Secretary may specify in such order. Any such order may, as the Secretary deems appropriate, require future compliance or steps to effect future compliance, either permanently or for such period of time as the Secretary may specify, with such provision or regulation with respect to any loan originator.

The notice instituting proceedings pursuant to paragraph (1) shall fix a hearing date not earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days after service of the notice unless an earlier or a later date is set by the Secretary with the consent of any respondent so served.

Whenever the Secretary determines that the alleged violation or threatened violation specified in the notice instituting proceedings pursuant to paragraph (1), or the continuation thereof, is likely to result in significant dissipation or conversion of assets, significant harm to consumers, or substantial harm to the public interest prior to the completion of the proceedings, the Secretary may enter a temporary order requiring the respondent to cease and desist from the violation or threatened violation and to take such action to prevent the violation or threatened violation and to prevent dissipation or conversion of assets, significant harm to consumers, or substantial harm to the public interest as the Secretary deems appropriate pending completion of such proceedings. Such an order shall be entered only after notice and opportunity for a hearing, unless the Secretary determines that notice and hearing prior to entry would be impracticable or contrary to the public interest. A temporary order shall become effective upon service upon the respondent and, unless set aside, limited, or suspended by the Secretary or a court of competent jurisdiction, shall remain effective and enforceable pending the completion of the proceedings.

At any time after the respondent has been served with a temporary cease and desist order pursuant to paragraph (3), the respondent may apply to the Secretary to have the order set aside, limited, or suspended. If the respondent has been served with a temporary cease and desist order entered without a prior hearing before the Secretary, the respondent may, within 10 days after the date on which the order was served, request a hearing on such application and the Secretary shall hold a hearing and render a decision on such application at the earliest possible time.

Within—

(i) 10 days after the date the respondent was served with a temporary cease and desist order entered with a prior hearing before the Secretary; or

(ii) 10 days after the Secretary renders a decision on an application and hearing under paragraph (1), with respect to any temporary cease and desist order entered without a prior hearing before the Secretary,

the respondent may apply to the United States district court for the district in which the respondent resides or has its principal place of business, or for the District of Columbia, for an order setting aside, limiting, or suspending the effectiveness or enforcement of the order, and the court shall have jurisdiction to enter such an order. A respondent served with a temporary cease and desist order entered without a prior hearing before the Secretary may not apply to the court except after hearing and decision by the Secretary on the respondent's application under subparagraph (A).

The commencement of proceedings under subparagraph (B) shall not, unless specifically ordered by the court, operate as a stay of the Secretary's order.

In any cease and desist proceeding under paragraph (1), the Secretary may issue an order to prohibit, conditionally or unconditionally, and permanently or for such period of time as the Secretary shall determine, any person who has violated this chapter or regulations thereunder, from acting as a loan originator if the conduct of that person demonstrates unfitness to serve as a loan originator.

The Secretary may impose a civil penalty on a loan originator operating in any State which is subject to a licensing system established by the Secretary under section 5107 of this title, if the Secretary finds, on the record after notice and opportunity for hearing, that such loan originator has violated or failed to comply with any requirement of this chapter or any regulation prescribed by the Secretary under this chapter or order issued under subsection (c).

The maximum amount of penalty for each act or omission described in paragraph (1) shall be $25,000.

(Pub. L. 110–289, div. A, title V, §1514, July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2821; Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §1100(3), (9), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2106, 2107.)

Pub. L. 111–203, title X, §§1100(3), (9), 1100H, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2106, 2107, 2113, provided that, effective on the designated transfer date, this section is amended by substituting “by the Bureau” for “under HUD backup licensing system” in the section catchline and “Director” for “Secretary” wherever appearing. See Effective Date of 2010 Amendment note below.

Amendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective on the designated transfer date, see section 1100H of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 552a of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.