August 2014 - Americans for Financial Reform

AFR Statement on SEC Final Rules Concerning Asset-Backed Securities and Credit Rating Agencies

AFR issued a statement regarding the finalized rules issued by the SEC regarding asset backed securities and credit rating agencies.

AFR Supports Bipartisan Call for Limits on Federal Reserve Emergency Lending

“A bipartisan group of 15 legislators… has released a letter calling for stronger limitations on the use of Federal Reserve emergency lending powers. The Dodd-Frank Act mandated new limits on such emergency lending. Today’s letter strongly criticizes the Federal Reserve’s proposal to implement these new limits, saying that the proposal places ‘no meaningful restrictions’ on lending powers and leaves the door open to a future ‘backdoor bailout’ of Wall Street. AFR welcomes this letter and applauds the efforts of legislators to address this issue.”

AFR in the News: U.S. Bank Bonus Curb Hit by Regulatory Squabble (Financial Times)

Americans for Financial Reform, Gina Chon of the Financial Times reports, “will soon send a letter to the agencies – it will also be circulated among lawmakers – urging them to finalise the proposal and strengthen it by not leaving implementation up to a bank’s board or management.” The article quotes AFR’s Marcus Stanley, who describes the executive-compensation provision as “one of the major pieces of unfinished business in Dodd-Frank.”

AFR in the News: Banks Push to Delay Rule on Investments (Wall Street Journal)

“Banks are pressing U.S. policy makers for a multiyear delay of a rule requiring them to sell investments in private-equity and venture-capital funds…,” the Journal reports. The article goes on to cite critics of the calls for delay, including AFR’s Marcus Stanley. “This is supposed to be a regulatory option in special circumstances,” he told the Journal. “It’s not supposed to be an automatic permission for every bank to get a 12-year period after passage of Dodd-Frank to divest from venture funds.”

AFR, Groups Statement on OCC Guidance to Banks on Selling of Charged-Off Debt

AFR join civil rights, consumer, and community groups in lauding the OCC for issuing a strong guidance regarding banks’ selling of charged-off consumer debts to debt buyers. The groups urged the agency to also take the next step and issue strong regulations to ensure that national banks do not continue to facilitate unfair, deceptive, and abusive debt collection practices.

AFR in the News: Financial Services Influence – Follow the Money (Politico)

The financial industry has “spent more than $800 million on contributions to campaigns and on federal lobbying so far this election cycle,” PoliticoPro reports, citing AFR’s new report, “Wall Street Money in Washington,” which draws on data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. The report, as the paywalled story goes on to say, “found the financial sector has contributed $245 million to political campaigns, as of June 30, and spent nearly $560 million on lobbying through March.”

AFR and Allies Call for Congressional Action on Student Loan Products and Servicing

“Against the backdrop of $1.2 trillion dollars in outstanding student loan debt that is currently dragging on individual borrowers and the economy more broadly, it is imperative that our federal lawmakers take steps to change banking and financial firm practices that contribute to that debt burden.” – joint letter to Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.