Press Releases

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

"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

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

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. - National civil rights groups are standing behind Leandra English, Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), as the lawful Acting Director of the Consumer Bureau. Acting Director English filed a federal lawsuit last night against the Trump Administration challenging the unlawful appointment of Mick Mulvaney as head of the CFPB. The National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD), NAACP, National Urban League, UnidosUS, the National Fair Housing Alliance, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) President Mike Calhoun was on CNN and NPR, calling out the unlawful attempt to name Mick Mulvaney as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and advocating for the appointment of a Director who is committed to protecting consumers. Watch the CNN segment Listen the NPR segment For more information, or to arrange an interview with a CRL spokesperson on this issue, please contact Matthew Kravitz at matthew.kravitz@responsiblelending.org or 202-349-1859.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Center for Responsible Lending’s President Mike Calhoun released the following statement tonight after Leandra English, Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration challenging the unlawful appointment of Mick Mulvaney as head of the CFPB: Instructions under the Dodd-Frank and Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act are plain and simple--if the CFPB Director steps down, the Deputy Director assumes the role of Acting Director until the President nominates, and the Senate