“In a brief advisory statement, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has closed a specious, lobbyist-concocted loophole in the regulation of the derivatives markets. By doing so, the Commission has reaffirmed one of the most important and hard-won victories of the Dodd-Frank Act.”
“Assistant Secretary Massad has not, in his previous work, been required to address the issues the CFTC is responsible for. It is not clear from what we know whether he is the right person for the job. There needs to be a serious inquiry into his views and perspectives as part of the consideration of his confirmation.”
The House of Representatives recently voted to roll back a provision of the Dodd-Frank Act that, as reporter Ailsa Chang explained on All Things Considered (NPR, 11/11/13), “prevents banks from using your deposits to trade in derivatives — risky securities that many believe contributed to
On Oct. 31, the Senate voted to filibuster the nomination of Representative Mel Watt as Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. This was an appalling vote on several levels. In the first place, the 46 Senators who said No to cloture were using
AFR joined the National Consumer Law Center, Consumer Federation of America, the Center for Responsible Lending, and 26 other consumer and civil rights groups call for stronger measures to stop banks and payment processors from helping internet and tribal payday lenders collect illegal payments from consumers’ bank accounts.
AFR Policy Director Marcus Stanley participates in debate on ‘Smaller, Simpler Banks’ with Rodgin Cohen (Chair of Sullivan and Cromwell), John Dugan (former Comptroller of the Currency), and Randall Kroszner (University of Chicago; former Governor on the Federal Reserve Board). The debate was sponsored by the International Institute of Finance. As the only public interest representative at the debate, Dr. Stanley defending the need for simplifying and shrinking big banks.
The best and worst states when it comes to taking measures to keep creditors from pushing debtors and their families into destitution.
AFR stands with many of our partner organizations in opposition to HR 2374, which would delay needed reforms that would protect middle-class savings and help to restore needed confidence in our financial markets. Here is a compilation of materials on the issue of HR 2374.
AFR joined seven organizations in demanding that Barclay’s to pay the fines imposed by FERC for manipulating low income families into paying higher utility bills in time for the winter heating season.
Late fees down by an average of $6; more people making above-the-minimum payments; far fewer young adults signing up for credit cards in the first place – these are some of the results of a landmark 2009 law, according to a new report issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.