Letters to Congress

The 40 undersigned organizations oppose inclusion in any criminal justice reform package of "mens rea" (state of mind) provisions that would make it harder for prosecutors to criminally prosecute companies and corporate executives that engage in criminal wrongdoing. Specifically, there are various mens rea proposals, including mens rea legislation proposed in the Senate, that are premised on the belief that...

We write you to express our concern with pending Senate legislation and recent statements by administration officials in both the U.S. Treasury Department and the White House. Specifically, the Jumpstart GSE Reform Act of 2015, and statements by Secretary Jack Lew, Counselor to Secretary Antonio Weiss, and Mr. Michael Stegman of the National Economic Council opposing greater administrative reforms of...

The organizations represented on this sign-on letter asked President Obama to oppose any appropriations bill that contains inappropriate and ideological policy riders. With the passage of the framework bill for funding the government, has turned to how to allot the monies and what may be attached. Appropriations bills have been used before to undermine essential safeguards through "policy riders" –...

On behalf of our millions of members and supporters nationwide, these 45 groups urge the opposition of the so-called "Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2015" (H.R. 712), which would undermine citizen enforcement of our laws and impede the resolution of consumer protection, anti-discrimination, environmental protection, and other important cases before our federal courts. H.R. 712 targets consent...

More than 250 civil rights, consumer, labor, faith, veterans, seniors, and community organizations, strongly oppose H.R. 4018, the "Consumer Protection and Choice Act." This harmful bill would limit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) ability to protect all consumers against high-cost payday, car title, and installment loans. In addition to delaying the Bureau's rule-making for two years or longer, H.R...

This letter strongly urges the opposition of H.R. 527, the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2015 (SBRFIA). SBRFIA expands the reach and scope of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and would increase unnecessary and lengthy regulatory delays, increase undue influence by regulated industries and encourage convoluted court challenges.

This letter urges the FHA to reduce the cost of its single-family mortgage insurance premiums to expand access to safer and more affordable mortgages to more creditworthy households. The FHA has twin missions to provide access to mortgage credit and to protect the integrity of the Fund - these missions are best accomplished using a dynamic evaluation of the FHA...

This sign-on letter urges the rejection of any effort to include the "Jumpstart GSE Reform Act" in the omnibus FY 2016 appropriations agreement. While the name and the stated purpose of this bill may sound innocuous, it would effectively hinder rather than advance reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, increasing the risk of future taxpayer bailouts, and potentially jeopardizing...

H.R. 1737 hides its intent behind a smokescreen of claims about process and regulatory jurisdiction. However, the bill is really about the unfair and discriminatory impact of car dealer interest rate markups. The bill seemingly targets guidance the CFPB released in March 2013 putting lenders on notice that it had evidence of discrimination in car loans held in lenders’ portfolios...

The undersigned organizations write to urge you to oppose H.R. 1210 (the “Portfolio Lending and Mortgage Access Act”). This bill makes two harmful changes to the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) and its implementing regulations: It takes a special exemption designed for more trustworthy small and rural banks and extends it to all banks, regardless...