Bush suggested this in 2003.
Under the plan, disclosed at a Congressional hearing in 2003, a new agency would have been created within the Treasury Department to assume supervision of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored companies that are the two largest players in the mortgage lending industry.

But the Democrats said:
”These two entities — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — are not facing any kind of financial crisis,” said Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee in 2003.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E3D6123BF932A2575AC0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print

Why did they kill McCain’s proposed oversight?

The Dems killed McCain’s creation of an independent Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Agency which shall have authority over the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac).

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-190
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-190&tab=summary

http://beltwaysnark.com/2008/09/16/john-mccain-supported-a-proposal-for-an-agency-to-oversee-fannie-and-freddiein-2005/

Benanke Interest Rates