Alexander Blocks HBCU Funding Bill, Unveils New Higher Education Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) Committee, unveiled a package of eight bills to rewrite parts of the Higher Education Act. This action comes after Alexander once again blocked consideration of the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act, which would have extended...

House of Representatives Passes Bill to Restore Americans’ Right to Their Day in Court

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (FAIR Act) (H.R. 1423), a bill that would restore the ability of Americans to take their disputes with companies to a real court of law. Specifically, the legislation would prohibit contracts from requiring civil rights, consumer, or employment disputes be settled in arbitration –...

Senator Lamar Alexander Blocks FUTURE Act, Compromises Funding for HBCUs and Other MSIs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) Committee, blocked consideration of the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) and Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), extends important mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic...

Credit Union Regulator Expands High-Cost Loan Program Without Needed Safeguards, Say Consumer Groups

NCUA votes for changes to Payday Alternative Loan program; while addressing some key concerns of community groups, overall the vote is a step in the wrong direction WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) voted to approve a final rule governing Payday Alternative Loans, referred to as PAL II. In response, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL)...

Comment Period for CFPB Debt Collection Rule Closes with Consumer, Civil Rights Leaders Urging Major Changes

“Without significant changes, we believe the proposed rule will perpetuate abusive practices, harm already economically distressed families, and widen the racial wealth gap.” WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the time for the public to weigh in on a proposed rule governing debt collection practices comes to a close, a coalition of national consumer advocates and civil rights organizations sent a comment...

Documents Show that Navient’s Strategy is to Put Borrowers into Forbearance

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Unsealed court documents are shedding new light on student loan servicing company Navient and its practice of steering student loan borrowers into forbearance rather than helping them enroll in affordable income-base repayment plans (IBR). According to the documents, an internal memo outlining Navient’s predecessor’s forbearance strategy was: “forbear them, forbear them, make them relinquish the ball...

Director Kraninger is Curbing CFPB Independence

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Kathy Kraninger joined the Trump Administration in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to give the president more influence and control over the CFPB, the agency that regulates the financial services industry. Kraninger and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) jointly asked the Court to consider an appeal that would allow...

House Passes FUTURE Act to Extend Funding for HBCUs, HSIs, and other MSIs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This evening, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act introduced by Representative Alma Adams (D-NC) and Representative Mark Walker (R-NC). The FUTURE Act extends important mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribally Controlled Colleges or Universities (TCUs), and Minority-Serving Institutions...

CFPB’s Proposed Debt Collection Rule Faces Strong Bipartisan Opposition

"Survey also reveals that one in five Americans have been contacted by a debt collector in the past twelve months, including higher numbers in communities of color, among lower-income people, and military families." WASHINGTON, D.C. - Strong majorities across parties oppose the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) proposed debt collection rule including medical debt, according to a new poll released...

CFPB to Approve Potentially Risky Fintech Products

CFPB finalizes policy that gives companies a private channel to seek approvals of untested new products and a promise that the CFPB will not take action for consumer protection law violations WASHINGTON D.C. — Consumer advocates criticized today’s announcement by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that it has finalized policies to give banks, fintech companies, and other corporations no-action letters...