In a joint letter to Congress, Americans for Financial Reform and 340 organizations–state, local and national consumer groups, civil rights groups, faith-based groups, housing groups, labor unions and others–warn against efforts to “dismantle, weaken, or change the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.”

Since opening its doors in 2011, the CFPB has been working to bring basic standards of fair play to a marketplace long ridden with abuse, while recovering billions of dollars in restitution for defrauded consumers. It has much important work to do to end tricks and traps in lending, and make it easier for people to understand and access workable financial products.

Yet the Bureau has faced continual attack from the financial industry and its political allies, who continue to advocate measures to limit its powers, reduce its finding, or add layers of complexity to its leadership structure and decision-making process. The practical effect of all these proposals, the joint letter says, would be to “hamper the agency and interfere with its ability to fulfill its mission.”

“We strongly urge members of Congress to refrain from placing those narrow industry interests above the vital public interest in regulation of the consumer finance market place,” the letter continues. “And we urge you to be appropriately skeptical of arguments about what is in the public interest that are put forward by regulated industries, but opposed by the broad array of organizations representing tens of millions of people from diverse constituencies that are the signatories of this letter.”

View or download letter here.