Americans for Financial Reform

News Category: Press Releases & Statements

News Release: Consumer Advocates Urge CFPB to Protect Consumers From “Junk Fees”

WASHINGTON – In response to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) call for public input on how to save Americans billions in junk fees charged by financial companies, leading consumer advocacy organizations submitted an extensive comment letter detailing junk fees across a wide range of consumer financial products and services. The letter was submitted by Americans for Financial Reform (AFR), the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), Consumer Federation of America (CFA), the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), and National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) (on behalf of its low-income clients). 

News Release: Survey Reveals Retail Investors Want SEC to Require Climate Disclosure

Washington, D.C. – Seventy percent of investors support the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requiring all public corporations to disclose standardized information about their financial risks due to climate change. This finding comes from a new nonpartisan survey of investors completed by Embold Research on behalf of Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund and Public Citizen. 

News Release: Groups Urge CFPB to Treat “Buy Now Pay Later” Products Like Credit Cards and Protect Consumers from Harmful Practices

WASHINGTON – More than 75 consumer, housing, civil rights, legal services, faith, community, small business, student borrower, and public interest organizations submitted a joint comment letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) concerning Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) credit products. The groups are alarmed by the lack of regulation of this credit product, which is exploding in use, and urge the CFPB to view BNPL products as credit cards covered by the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), to start supervision of this market, and to look out for practices that harm consumers.

News Release: SEC Issues Important Proposal on Climate Disclosure

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued an important and thoughtful proposal to require mandatory climate financial risk disclosure from public companies. We look forward to commenting on ways that the proposal must be strengthened, in particular with respect to greenhouse gas emissions reporting and corporate climate-related impacts on communities.