Since it does not receive general budget funding, INFONAVIT does not require periodic appropriations from federal ministries or Congress. While subject to some oversight by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit INFONAVIT has considerable flexibility in setting its own priorities. For the first 30 years of its existence, virtually the only source of funding for these operations was the funds in housing accounts. Thus, historically it has had no obligation to pay competitive returns on housing accounts to obtain its funds or to maintain the confidence of those supplying funds, for, unlike depositors in a mortgage banks, the holders of housing accounts have no right to withdraw their funds.