News Release: Public Interest Groups Support Bill to Address Private Equity Abuses
Over 15 major public interest groups have signed on to support the Stop Wall Street Looting Act of 2019, which was introduced today in the House and Senate.
Legislation: Summary and Analysis of Stop Wall Street Looting Act
The Stop Wall Street Looting Act would curb the worst abuses of Wall Street private equity executives by making them liable for damage they cause, protecting the interests of workers, preventing looting of target companies, and improving transparency for investors.
In the News: Consumer Watchdog Wants to Work With Financial Companies to Encourage Saving
Consumer advocates criticized Ms. Kraninger’s invitation to financial companies. “Americans don’t need the main federal consumer protection agency partnering with the financial services industry to conduct studies,” said Linda Jun, senior policy counsel at Americans for Financial Reform. “Americans need a strong CFPB that actually polices the industry from doing harm.”
Statement: Income-share agreements are just student debt with a fancy name
“Income-share agreements are nothing more than student debt with a fancy name,” said Alexis Goldstein, Senior Policy Analyst at Americans for Financial Reform. “Financial investors hungry for yield are using ISAs to put student debt in an elaborate and confusing package, while forcing students to waive key rights and seeking to withhold the already too limited consumer protections federal student loans provide.”
Letters to Congress: Statement to House Financial Services Committee on Facebook Libra Proposal
The AFR Education Fund sent a statement for the record to the House Financial Services Committee concerning Facebook’s proposal for the Libra digital token and payment system. The statement describes ways in which Facebook is attempting to create an unregulated financial product of potentially global scale and the dangers this would pose to the users of the token and the broader financial system.
Letter to Regulators: Letter to Federal Reserve on Bank Ownership and Control
AFR wrote a letter to the Federal Reserve Board on a proposal that would liberalize the criteria the Board uses to determine control of a bank. The definition of “control” is critical as it determines whether entities with ownership and influence over banks will be designated as bank holding companies and subject to the appropriate regulation.
In the News: Sen. Kennedy Seeks Momentum for MSRB Reform Bill
Marcus Stanley, policy director at Americans for Financial Reform, said that there is a widespread feeling that the MSRB is dominated by insiders to a degree that is “greater than is healthy for a self regulatory organization. Reforms are called for and I’m glad that Sen. Kennedy is stepping forward to do that.”
He said he sees bipartisan interest in the bill because people have interest in federal regulation in the municipal markets.
“We’ve seen blowups in the muni markets that have really affected cities and public entities across the country,” Stanley said, referencing Detroit and Puerto Rico.
News Release: AFR Statement on Financial Services Committee Markup on Credit Reporting
“Credit reports and credit scores play a critical role in the economic lives of Americans. They are the gatekeeper for affordable credit, insurance, rental housing, and sometimes unfortunately even a job. Yet they suffer from unacceptable rates of inaccuracy. This package would enact a sea change that would make the American credit reporting system more accurate and fairer to consumers.”
Letter to Congress: Letter to House Financial Services Committee on Credit Reporting Package
Credit reports and credit scores play a critical role in the economic lives of Americans. They are the gatekeeper for affordable credit, insurance, rental housing, and sometimes unfortunately even a job. Yet they suffer from unacceptable rates of inaccuracy. This package would enact a sea change that would make the American credit reporting system more accurate and fairer to consumers.
In the News: Banks Push for Greater Relief on Foreign Bank Regs, Living Wills
“We are deeply concerned that the reductions in resolution planning requirements proposed here would have an adverse effect on the financial stability of the United States and possibly also on the safety and soundness of individual banks,” Americans for Financial Reform said in its letter.