Three men burnished and tarnished by the financial crisis are expected to wield disproportionate influence over Congress's final push to write a new law for financial regulations.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd bring to the negotiations experience from the government's rapid and often ad hoc response to the financial crisis, including the controversial decision to risk taxpayer money to bail out the financial sector.