Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Government Accountability Office (GAO) letter released earlier this week in response to a Congressional inquiry threatens to undermine the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (Consumer Bureau) 2013 indirect auto lending guidance. This important guidance is a key step to limit discriminatory impact of dealer interest rate markups in the auto lending industry. In the letter, the GAO concludes that the auto lending guidance is a Consumer Bureau “rule” and can be repealed through a Congressional Review Act (CRA). The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) has been a staunch

Agency’s Independence Is Necessary to Its Mission, Groups Say WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) independence from external political influence is crucial to the agency’s mission of protecting consumers, 10 groups told a court today in an amicus brief (PDF) filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The groups are Public Citizen, Americans for Financial Reform, Center for Responsible Lending, Consumer Action, National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA), National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), National Consumers League, National Fair

Mulvaney’s Call for Congress to Rescind Basic Borrower Protection Shows He Sides with Loan Sharks Over Consumers WASHINGTON, DC – OMB Director Mick Mulvaney, who is unlawfully behaving as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), last night voiced support for a Congressional Review Act to repeal the Consumer Bureau rule on payday and car-title loan debt traps. Center for Responsible Lending Director of Federal Advocacy Scott Astrada issued the following statement: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was established to prevent Americans from losing their money and

Bill Eliminates Critical Consumer Protections and Safeguards Against Another Economic Meltdown WASHINGTON, DC –The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), along with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, and the National Consumer Law Center, announced opposition to and released an analysis of S. 2155, a harmful financial deregulation bill. The measure, the most significant since Dodd-Frank, is scheduled for markup tomorrow in the Senate Banking Committee. Read the group’s analysis of S. 2155, which focused on the housing portions. CRL Senior Legislative Counsel Yana Miles released the

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is expected to begin deliberations next week on a proposal for reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The prior reauthorization expired in 2013 and was extended. The Congressional Budget Office is also expected to score the bill over the next few days. In an initial review of the major changes in the legislation, Ashley Harrington, a policy counsel with the Center for Responsible Lending made the following statement: The proposed legislation is yet another boost for the private sector instead of consumers and

"The line in the sand is clear, you’re either siding with the payday lenders or you’re siding with consumers." WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.), along with Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), Tom Graves (R-Ga.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), and Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would repeal the new payday and car title lending rule finalized by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Consumer Bureau) in October. The announcement to roll back this important consumer protection comes off the heels of the

Credit: Salt Lake City Tribune’s Pat Bagley WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mick Mulvaney, who was unlawfully named as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), has been excoriated by news outlets for his disturbing ties to the exploitative payday lending industry. His cozy relationship is especially concerning as the CFPB will be charged with implementing its recently issued consumer protections against payday loan debt traps. Headlines and Links International Business Times: Would Trump’s CFPB Pick Mulvaney Back Consumers Or Payday Lenders? New York Post: Payday lenders have new

Negotiated rule making process will include various education and consumer advocates from across the country. *Advisory for Monday, Dec 4 to Thursday, Dec 7, 2017* WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, December 4, 2017, at approximately 9 a.m. ET the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) along with various advocacy organizations including the Maryland Consumer Rights Center, will participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) negotiated rulemaking process on the Gainful Employment (GE) Rule. This will be the second of two negotiated rulemakings where CRL is representing consumers before DOE

OAKLAND, CALIF. – On November 29, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra sued Ashford University, a for-profit and online college based in San Diego. The suit alleges that Ashford made false promises and provided false information to boost enrollment. Illegal debt collection practices and misleading information given to investors and the Securities and Exchange Commission are also alleged. In response, Graciela Aponte-Diaz, Center for Responsible Lending’s California Policy Director made the following statement: Once again, a for-profit college is accused of prioritizing profits over

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Judge Timothy J. Kelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied a request for a temporary restraining order to keep Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney from serving as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Center for Responsible Lending Senior Policy Counsel Melissa Stegman issued the following statement: Today's ruling is disappointing and a cause for concern. Payday lenders and their allies in Congress, including then-Representative Mick Mulvaney, have consistently attempted to dismantle