Category Archives: Letters to Regulators

a pile of credit cards

Letters to Regulators: Letter to NCUA Opposing Proposed Change to Overdraft Policy

AFR Ed Fund joined our colleagues to send a letter opposing the National Credit Union Administration’s proposal to permit federal credit unions to leave negative account balances open for longer than the current limit of 45 days without any limits on overdrafts, overdraft fees, or NSF fees that can be assessed during this period. This proposal fails to consider the substantial risks it poses on credit union members who are facing economic challenges during the pandemic by exposing them to additional fees that only compound their financial distress.

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Federal reserve board

Letters to Regulators: Letter in Response to the Federal Reserve Board’s ANPR on the Community Reinvestment Act

Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund organized a letter to the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) in response to their advanced notice of proposed rule making (ANPR) on the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The letter outlined a number of guiding principles and approaches to ensure that any changes to the CRA framework would be limited to measures that will increase equity in bank investments and access to sustainable, wealth-building credit in underserved communities as the statute intended.

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sign for the CFPB outside a building

Letters to Regulators: Comment on the CFPB’s ANPR Regarding Consumer Access to Financial Records

AFR joined a letter with our partners The National Consumer Law Center, Center for Responsible Lending, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, and USPIRG commenting on the CFPB’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding consumer access to financial records. The letter responded to several questions from the CFPB to assist in developing a proposed rule to implement Section 1033 of the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. It called for a rule that would ensure control and protection for consumers accessing their own account data.

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the White House

Joint Letter: Letter to President Biden Opposing Any Weakening of Federal Securities Laws

Americans for Financial Reform joined a letter to the Biden Administration urging them not to weaken the securities laws through the further expansion and deregulation of the private offering marketplace. The letter warns that further expanding the pool of securities exempt from the disclosure and investor protections afforded by the federal securities laws has the potential to damage economic recovery, including by increasing the probability of fraud and hindering the efficient allocation of capital.

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a series of houses

Joint Letter: Letter Urging the Biden Administration to Provide Greater Assistance for Homeowners in COVID Relief Plan

AFR joined a letter urging President-Elect Biden to expand assistance to homeowners in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package. The letter called on the Biden administration to support the establishment of a Housing Assistance Fund, provide funding for HUD-approved housing counseling agencies and legal assistance, and to support several legislative measures to prevent the coming tsunami of foreclosures that likely will be concentrated in low-income communities and communities of color.

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Empty chairs in a college auditorium - Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

News Release: Over 325 Orgs Call on President-Elect Biden to Cancel Federal Student Debt on Day One using Executive Action

Today, more than 325 organizations sent an updated letter to President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris, calling on them to use executive authority to cancel federal student debt on day one of their administration. The letter highlights that cancelling student debt would stimulate the economy, help reduce racial wealth gaps, and could have a positive impact on health outcomes. The groups write that “executive action is one of the few available tools that could immediately provide a boost to upwards of 44 million borrowers and the economy.” Further, this action would be an important first step in advancing the President-Elect’s campaign priorities to ensure racial equity, focus on economic recovery, and deliver COVID-19 relief. 

classroom with students and a student with a backpack standing up with papers - Photo by javier trueba on Unsplash

Joint Statement: President-Elect Biden Should Cancel Student Debt Through Executive Action

The absence of a legislative request to cancel student debt in Biden’s “American Rescue” plan heightens the urgent need for President-Elect Biden to cancel student debt administratively. Overwhelming research shows that student debt cancellation would provide dramatic relief particularly in low-income neighborhoods and among communities of color that are disproportionately burdened by ballooning debt. We hope the absence of debt cancellation in this package is a clear indication that President-Elect Biden is planning to act quickly to use his authority to cancel student debt through executive action. We look forward to working with him to do that.