Tag Archives: Congress

Letters to Congress: Letter on FTX Hearing and Digital Asset Policy

AFR and Demand Progress led a group of consumer advocates and public interest organizations to send this letter to Congress, asking Members to take a more deliberative and systemic approach to advancing policies to regulate digital assets. The letter urged Congress to resist pursuing legislative proposals compromised by crypto industry influence or that do not adequately address the systemic problems found within the digital asset industry. Instead, the signers called on Congress to empower financial regulators to use their existing authorities and prioritize consumer and investor protection over the digital asset industry’s largely unproven promises.

News Release: Congress Must not Give Private Equity Billionaires a Huge Tax Cut in End-of-year Budget Deal

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Private equity billionaires would be among the big winners from a corporate lobbying push in Congress to reap a windfall from a retroactive tax break in the omnibus bill now being crafted. Lobbyists and their many allies in Congress are trying to repeal new restrictions that took effect this year that limit how much corporations can deduct in interest payments on their debt.

Blog: Private Equity Lobbyists Want to Hijack Child Tax Credit for More Giveaways

A corporate tax break that could give some of Wall Street’s wealthiest people a $200 billion gift over ten years is under consideration as part of the omnibus budget negotiations underway in Congress this month. At issue are provisions of the 2017 Trump tax bill that took effect this year, and the private equity’s lobbying effort to overturn the parts of the law that limit a key tax break.

News Release: Financial Services and Consumer Groups Support Senate Bill to Close Industrial Loan Company Loophole

Today, a broad coalition of financial services and consumer organizations expressed support for new legislation to close the industrial loan company (ILC) charter loophole, the “Close the Shadow Banking Loophole Act.” The legislation, introduced by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), prohibits shadow banks and nonbank commercial entities from taking advantage of legal loopholes. These loopholes allow these companies to control a full-service FDIC-insured depository institution without being subject to the comprehensive set of rules designed to keep the financial system safe.

Letters to Congress: Support for the Close the Shadow Banking Loophole Act 

AFR joined a joint coalition made up of consumer advocates and bank trade groups on this letter to Congress to express our support of the Close the Shadow Banking Loophole Act recently introduced by Senators Brown, Casey, and Van Hollen. This bill will close the Industrial Loan Company charter loophole that allows Big Tech and other large commercial firms from owning a bank without adequate oversight.

News Release: Voting Record Highlights Lawmaker Stands on Financial Reform in 117th Congress

Americans for Financial Reform released a record of votes during the first session of the 117th Congress regarding consumer protections, climate financial regulation, and Wall Street accountability. The report includes a selection of votes on legislation and on confirmations of President Biden’s nominees to positions important for financial regulation and Wall Street accountability. 

Blog: Congress Takes Historic Step to Tax Stock Buybacks

Schumer uttered those words as the Senate was on the brink of passing the Inflation Reduction Act—the compromise reconciliation bill that resulted from prolonged, heated negotiations amongst Democrats.  The version that will go to President Biden includes something brand-new in U.S. economic policy: a one percent excise tax on stock buybacks, which reached an astonishing $882 billion last year.