This chapter consists of general information and does not purport to set forth all of the procedures and requirements that apply to the operations of the Association. Complete specific information as to any aspect of such operations may be obtained from the office listed in § 300.9.

The Government National Mortgage Association (hereinafter in this chapter called the Association, GNMA or Ginnie Mae) furnishes fiduciary services to itself and other departments and agencies of the Government, and guarantees privately issued securities backed by trusts or pools of mortgages or loans which are insured or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or the Rural Housing Service (RHS) and certain other loans or mortgages guaranteed or insured by the Government. In the course of its business, the Association is referred to as GNMA or Ginnie Mae.

The Association is a Government corporation in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is derived from the Federal National Mortgage Association, which was partitioned by the Congress into two corporations effective September 1, 1968, one of which is the Association. The operations of the Association are conducted under its statutory charter contained in title III of the National Housing Act, 12 U.S.C. 1716, et seq.

The Association is authorized to conduct its business in any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories and possessions of the United States.

The Association directs its operations from its office located at 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington DC 20410.

The President, each Vice President, and each Assistant Vice President of the Association are severally expressly empowered in the name of the Association to sign all contracts and other documents, instruments, and writings which call for execution by the Association in the conduct of its business and affairs, and to encumber, mortgage, pledge, convey or otherwise alien any property which the Association may own or in which it may have an estate, right, title or interest. In addition, the President, each Vice President, each Assistant Vice President, the Secretary of the Association, each Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer and the Controller shall have the authority as may be provided in the Bylaws of the Association or as may be delegated to them in a manner not inconsistent with the Bylaws.

In order to efficiently carry out the purposes of the Association, the Association may appoint any person its true and lawful attorney-in-fact by publication in the Federal Register or by appointment from the President of the Association in writing. Any such attorney-in-fact shall have the power outlined in the publication or appointment.

In the conduct of its affairs, in individual cases or classes of cases, the Association reserves the right, consistent with law, without prior notice and at any time, to alter or waive any of the requirements contained in this chapter or elsewhere or to impose other and additional requirements; it further reserves the right, without prior notice and at any time, to amend or rescind any or all of the material set forth herein.

The Association and its designees may at any reasonable time audit the books and examine the records of any issuer, mortgage servicer, trustee, agent or other person bearing on compliance with the requirements of the Association's programs, and the Association may require reasonable and necessary reports from such persons.