The following is an exerpt of a letter from a list of trade associations encouraging Tim Geithner, Ben Bernanke, and Shaun Donovan to consider combining some of the forms that need to be executed in the mortgage process.  Read the entire letter here

The undersigned trade associations, representing the real estate finance industry, appreciate the Board’s and HUD’s efforts to improve disclosures to mortgage borrowers under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). At this point, however, Special Advisor to the President Elizabeth Warren and Treasury staff have begun discussions internally and with stakeholders to combine the two disclosures into a single, integrated disclosure, and we understand that effort will be a first priority of the new Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau). Every segment of the financial services industry shares the objective of doing something “exceptional” to improve the mortgage disclosure process for consumers and we fully support this important work. Both disclosures are provided to borrowers throughout the mortgage process and integrating them will greatly increase transparency and consumer understanding of the mortgage transaction. Notwithstanding, it is important to recognize that this vital initiative is being undertaken in the midst of a surfeit of proposed and final regulations that require fundamental changes to the mortgage finance business model and a generation of systems which support it.

Read the entire letter at scribd.com