Catherine Fuchs
Principal
catherine@blueridgedc.com / 410-310-8049
Catherine Fuchs advises a wide range of clients on matters before Congress and federal regulators, with a particular focus on issues related to prudential banking, consumer finance, tax, digital assets, fintech, capital markets and government oversight. Catherine is known for her relationships on Capitol Hill, working directly with Senate and House leadership, her in depth policy expertise, and her familiarity with the Congressional and regulatory processes. She spent six years as a senior staffer on two key Senate committees where she advanced several critical pieces of economic legislation, successfully breaking through the Congressional gridlock.
Most recently, Ms. Fuchs served as Policy Director to Banking Committee Ranking Member Tim Scott, where she led the Committee’s work related to prudential banking, consumer finance, housing, and other issues. She oversaw the Committee’s work related to the Spring 2023 bank failures and the ensuing regulatory response, as well as the oversight of the prudential regulators’ proposed Basel III capital framework. Catherine has also spent years working on a wide variety of other matters including the SAFER Banking Act, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, housing finance reform, financial literacy initiatives, BSA / AML legislation and regulations, data privacy and security, and M&A policies, to name a few. In her role as Policy Director, Fuchs led the Committee’s oversight over several agencies, including the Federal Reserve, FDIC, OCC, FHFA, HUD, and the Treasury Department. She also managed the policy portfolios and a team of professional staff and subject matter experts, and oversaw hearing preparation, including vetting high-profile witnesses.
Fuchs also served as a Senior Counsel on the Senate Finance Committee under Ranking Member Mike Crapo, where she supported the Committee with a variety of tax issues, including the passage of SECURE 2.0. During her time on Senate Finance, she worked on the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and has a keen understanding of the Budget Reconciliation process within the Senate.
She also served as a Senior Counsel on the Senate Banking Committee during Mr. Crapo’s Chairmanship (the 116th Congress), where she was the lead author and negotiator on unprecedented pandemic relief provisions, including Title IV of the CARES Act and the appropriations legislation that passed the following December. During that time of intense economic uncertainty, Catherine worked directly with senior officials from the Federal Reserve, Department of Treasury, White House, and Senate leadership to ensure passage of the much-needed pandemic relief and stimulus legislation. Following the passage of the multi-trillion-dollar CARES Act, Catherine oversaw its implementation and led oversight efforts over the following years.
Before her time on Capitol Hill, Fuchs served in policy and regulatory affairs roles at BNP Paribas and The Clearinghouse. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland and her J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Catherine lives in Annapolis with her husband, newborn baby, and two German Shorthaired Pointers, Rane and Perry.