“The financial crisis demonstrated that purely state-level oversight cannot fully address the potential systemic risks of our largest insurance companies. It was an ill-considered and reckless decision to remove AIG’s designation as a systemically significant financial institution.”
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s review of unfair and abusive overdraft practices is complemented by its recent efforts to limit the use of forced arbitration, said five consumer groups in a joint letter sent today to Director Richard Cordray. U.S. Senate leadership is pushing for a vote this week on a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to repeal a CFPB rule that restores consumers’ right to join together in court against banks and lenders.
On Wednesday, Republican Congressional leaders and the Administration released their tax framework. “This ‘plan’ amounts to a package of tax cuts for Wall Street and the 1%” …
Washington DC – On Tuesday, groups with the Take on Wall Street campaign made their voices heard outside a Senate Finance Committee hearing, opposing tax cuts for millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy corporations, and demanding that tax legislation focus on closing loopholes and making Wall Street
“The vote [came] during the debate over the Financial Services and General Government bill, which funds some basic functions of the federal government, including the Treasury Department… Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) introduced an amendment to take this language out of the appropriations bill and continue to allow the CFPB to regulate payday lenders as it regulates all financial services businesses. The amendment failed with four Republicans joining Ellison to protect borrowers and three Democrats choosing to side with payday predators.”
“‘Wells Fargo used forced arbitration clauses and class-action bans to hide abuses and prevent its customers from securing justice or even realizing that problems the bank causes them are widespread,’ said Lisa Donner, executive director of Americans for Financial Reform. ‘It now appears that they have also tried to hide the breadth of problems inside the bank, even in the face of direct questions from members of Congress. Leaders of the relevant committees should be demanding answers and further hearings to get them.’”
“This Wells Fargo case is yet another demonstration of the harm consumers will suffer if Congress chooses to repeal the CFPB arbitration rule and restore banks’ ‘Get out of Jail Free card.,” said Lisa Donner, Executive Director for Americans for Financial Reform. “It is also yet another reminder why lawbreaking banks are pushing for the rule to be overturned: blocking consumers right to go to court makes it easier for them to rip people off.”
“Seven years ago this week the Dodd Frank act was signed into law, setting in motion measures to protect consumers and make the financial system more stable. Unfortunately, some lawmakers wish to turn back the clock and undo these reforms, and we are stepping up the fight to stop them. But the important work of defending Dodd-Frank must not be the end of the story. We need to do more to build a financial system that works for most Americans, not against them.”
“Mr. Quarles was part of the regulatory team at the Bush Treasury Department that missed the oncoming 2008 financial crisis and failed to take any effective action to stop that crisis. [He] did not take action or speak up against Wall Street excesses in advance of the 2008 crisis. Since the crisis he has made his opposition clear to strong regulatory action to prevent the re-emergence of the same risks in the future… The American people need and deserve better in this critical post.”
A major new report released today found that private arbitration firms that decide claims against corporations accused of fraud, sexual harassment, wage theft, abuse of nursing home residents, and other illegal activity are themselves violating the law.