At a House hearing today, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Sheila Bair said there were advantages to having the soon-to-be-appointed consumer director sit on the FDIC board.

“It might help sensitize that person to some of the safety and soundness issues associated with deposit insurance,” she said.

She added that if the leadership of the consumer agency is changed to a commission structure, an idea being pushed by Republicans on Capitol Hill, she would like to see the FDIC have a role in the consumer agency’s governance. “I think we’d like some reciprocity if we go to a commission structure with the CFPB,” Bair said.