Americans for Financial Reform

Government Category: Advocacy Documents

Letter to Regulators: AFR, AFSCME and CFA Oppose Weakening of Independence Standard for Municipal Advisors

“As discussed below, we do believe that this proposal outlines a significant rule change that could potentially reverse the statutory intention of the Dodd-Frank Act to provide a majority of independent members on the Board. We suggest that the Board extend the comment period to allow for more detailed examination of this proposal by members of the public interest community with an interest in municipal finance.”

Letter to Congress: AFR Opposes Anti-Consumer Amendments in Appropriations Bill

“On behalf of Americans for Financial Reform, we are writing to express our opposition to two amendments being offered to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill… The first would bar the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from issuing any rule or regulation related to payday lending until it has completed at least four new and unnecessary studies and reporting requirements… The second amendment would similarly delay and obstruct CFPB efforts to write a rule to eliminate forced arbitration in consumer financial contracts, action that the Dodd-Frank Act authorizes the Bureau to take. “

Letter to Congress: AFR, 22 Organizations Urge Congress Not to Undermine the CFPB, SEC

“On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we are writing to express our opposition to the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill. Key elements of this bill would undermine the capacity of financial regulators to protect consumers and oversee our financial markets. By removing independent funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), this legislation would subject the CFPB to limitations placed on no other banking regulator…This appropriations bill would also significantly underfund the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by denying over $200 million in funding necessary to provide proper oversight of investment professionals and securities markets.”