Restructuring of House Panel, GOP Majority, May Mean ‘Headline Risk’ for Fannie & Freddie So-called “headline risk,” which plagued Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac throughout much of 2000, is not expected to go away in 2001. And as the 107th Congress prepares to convene for its first session, there is growing speculation that the two government-sponsored enterprises could face an even tougher round of congressional hearings and negative political news this year.