Category Archives: Letters to Congress

a house behind bushes

Letters to Congress: Letter in Support of the Improving Language Access in Mortgage Servicing Act of 2021

The Americans for Financial Reform (AFR) Language Access Task Force and partner organizations sent a letter to the House Financial Services Committee in support for HR 3009, the Improving Language Access in Mortgage Servicing Act of 2021. LEP borrowers face many challenges that impede their full participation in the consumer marketplace, including, specifically, their ability to obtain and preserve ownership of a home. The Improving Language Access in Mortgage Servicing Act will make important strides in improving access to the mortgage market and increasing awareness of the availability of assistance for homeowners who are struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments, which is especially critical during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Letter to Congress: Small Business Advocacy Organization Support CRA Challenge of OCC “True Lender” Rule

Small business advocacy organizations, representing tens of thousands of affiliated small businesses and the interests of the 30 million small businesses in the country, submitted a letter to Congress expressing strong support for Senate Joint Resolution 15, the Congressional Review Act Resolution to repeal the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s True Lender Rule.

gavel from a courtroom - Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

Letters to Congress: Letter Asking for Commitment to Nominating Professionally Diverse Candidates to Federal District Courts

AFR joined a letter to the Senate asking for commitment to supporting President Biden’s goal of nominating professionally diverse candidates for federal district courts by fulfilling his request to recommend public defenders, civil rights lawyers, and public interest lawyers when judicial vacancies occur in their states. The letter explains that if the American public is to maintain faith in our judicial system, it is critical that we restore balance to a bench where former corporate lawyers and prosecutors are so heavily overrepresented.

Letters to Congress: Letter in Support of Two Language Access Bills

AFR organized a letter of support for two bills expanding and improving language access for mortgage transactions that will make important strides in improving access to the mortgage market and awareness of the availability of assistance for homeowners who are struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments. LEP borrowers face many challenges that impede their full participation in the consumer marketplace, including, specifically, their ability to obtain and preserve ownership of a home. Tracking and transferring the language preference of LEP borrowers and enhancing the availability and use of services and resources in their preferred languages will significantly improve market access for LEP borrowers at all stages of a mortgage loan.