In the wake of the destruction caused by the last financial crisis, Congress created an independent cop on the beat focused solely on protecting consumers in the financial marketplace. With today’s decision in Seila Law v. CFPB, the Supreme Court has chosen to ignore Congressional intent to maximize the bureau’s independence to best protect the American public from harm.
Instead of providing a realistic assessment of the solvency and capital position of individual banks, today’s release highlights the failures and politicization of the stress testing program and its inability to ensure capital adequacy.
Five regulators finalized changes to the Volcker Rule dramatically weakening limits on bank investments in hedge funds, private equity funds, and other “external funds”. The vote was partisan, with not a single Democratic appointee voting for the change.
Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund and Demand Progress Education Fund released a joint report, making the case for policymakers to take action to prevent the Geneva-based Libra project from evading regulation and going into effect as proposed.
Because Faceboook’s active-user network alone represents more than a third of the global population, its ambitions raise the spectre of systemic risk not only in the United States, but across jurisdictional lines. Indeed, a global stablecoin system like the Libra project could pose especially substantial risks to certain developing economies, where Libra Coins could functionally replace the local currency.
Consumer advocates criticized the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) for today finalizing a rule that encourages online non-bank lenders to launder their loans through banks so the non-bank lenders can charge triple-digit interest rates in states where high rates are illegal.
Letter to Congress from 73 groups in support of the credit reporting provisions in the HEROES Act
Nineteen organizations and individuals that advocate on behalf of consumers, workers, investors and retirees have called on the Department of Labor to withdraw its controversial policy statement opening the door to private equity investments in 401(k) plans.
The undersigned groups, which advocate on behalf of consumers, workers, investors, and retirees, write to express our grave concerns regarding the Department’s June 3rd information letter concerning the use of private equity investments in designated investment alternatives made available to retirement savers through individual account plans, such as 401(k) plans.
The SEC has released new guidance on corporate disclosures in light of COVID, which includes a recommendation that companies disclose more information about health and safety policies. We see this as a positive first step toward requiring the disclosures requested in a letter sent to the SEC last week by Americans for Financial Reform and nearly 100 other organizations.