Letters to Congress

From the letter to Secretary Marcia L. Fudge: On behalf of the clients and communities we represent, the 155 undersigned organizations are writing regarding the FHA foreclosure moratorium and the deadline for FHA borrowers to access COVID-19 forbearance plans, both of which expire on June 30, 2021, pursuant to Mortgagee Letter 2021-05. We urge HUD to extend the foreclosure moratorium...

The coalition of signatories to the letter consists of 325 groups, including civil rights, community, consumer, faith, housing, labor, legal services, senior rights, small business, student lending, and veterans organizations. The letter states that “[t]he rule replaces the longstanding ‘true lender’ anti-evasion doctrine with a ‘fake lender’ rule that allows lenders charging rates of 179% or higher to evade state...

Over 60 community development, civil rights, and small business groups are urging swift extension of the Paycheck Protection Program by Congress. The extension should not preclude any necessary SBA rulemaking authority. The letter also flags the continued need to make the recent change for Schedule C filers retroactive.

In the letter from 138 undersigned consumer, civil rights, community, housing, labor, small business, and other public interest groups: Commissioner Chopra is exactly the type of leader we need to serve as the next CFPB director. His commitment to consumer protection, effectiveness at using the tools of government to serve the public interest, and willingness to challenge powerful corporate interests...

100 organizations supporting African American, Latino and immigrant-owned businesses across the country, joined in this letter to request that changes be immediately made to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to increase meaningful access for sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals. While the Economic Aid Act addressed many of the impediments to access for business owners of color, barriers remain...

The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), Self-Help Federal Credit Union, Self-Help Credit Union, and the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients) (NCLC) write to share concerns with the Interim Final Rule on Overdraft Policy that was considered and tabled at NCUA’s May Board meeting. Unfortunately, the proposal fails to offer members relief from overdraft fees...

The Center for Responsible Lending applauds Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Elizabeth Warren; Representatives Pressley, Adams, Bowman, Jones, Omar, and Torres; and Chairwoman Waters for their bicameral resolution urging President Biden to take executive action to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt using legal authorities already granted by Congress. Cancelling student debt will provide both immediate financial...

328 undersigned community, civil rights, climate, health, consumer, labor, and student advocacy organizations wrote to urge President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris to boost the economy, tackle racial disparities, and provide much-needed stimulus to help all Americans weather the pandemic and the associated recession by using executive authority to cancel federal student debt on day one of the new administration.

On December 22, 2020, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) in partnership with several organizations submitted two letters to the OCC in regard to Oportun's application for a bank charter. CRL takes concern with Oportun's poor underwriting standards that harm the consumers they purport to serve; their intimidating debt collection practices; their new partnership with DolEx Check Cashing stores; and...

More than 100 community, consumer, civil rights, and faith organizations wrote to vigorously oppose the OCC’s proposed rule to gut the longstanding "true lender" anti-evasion doctrine. The proposed rule would trample state interest rate limits and unleash predatory lending in all 50 states, further exacerbating the economic impacts already experienced by COVID-19.