Americans for Financial Reform

Government Category: Advocacy Documents

Letters to the Regulators: AFR Submits Filing Opposing Capital One-Discover Merger for Failing to Meet Bank Merger Act Requirements

AFREF submitted a second brief with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Reserve calling on the banking regulators to reject the proposed Capital One-Discover merger. The proposed Capital One-Discover merger would have significant anti-competitive impacts that would harm consumers and communities. The merger also fails to meet the requirements and conditions of the Bank Merger Act and Bank Holding Company Act. It fails to meet the convenience and needs of communities by raising consumer credit card costs, having a record of misleading marketing and aggressive debt collection, and closing two-thirds of its branches over the past 15 years.

Letters to Congress: Letter in Opposition of Egregious Deregulatory Bills Scheduled for Markup

AFR and partners led a letter opposing a set of financial institution bills scheduled for markup tomorrow, May 17th in the House. Title I of the first bill (H.R. 8337) is particularly egregious and would result in ~100 banking organizations being removed from CFPB oversight, among other negative consequences for Qualified mortgage requirements, the Durbin amendment cap, the Volcker rule and others. H.R. 758 compromises safety and soundness standards while not addressing the root causes of de novo bank challenges.