Showing posts with label banking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label banking. Show all posts

Friday, April 26, 2019

Banking and Finance

Today's News about Banking and Finance Issues




As House Convenes on Predatory Lending, Consumer Advocates Press for Congressional Action on Payday Debt Traps
Source: Americans for Financial Reform
April 25, 2019
The hearing on payday lending comes at a time when the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is nearing the end on a public comment period on its plan. The CFPB is proposing to rescind key consumer protections on payday lending, namely the ability-to-repay provision that mandates that lenders offer affordable loans.

Read more...



Foster Introduces Bipartisan Resolution to Promote Financial Literacy for Students
Source:
April 25, 2019
“In our increasingly complex financial marketplace, young people often find themselves lacking the knowledge to make tough financial decisions that can have profound effects on their futures,” Congressman Foster said. “Studies have shown that promoting financial literacy at an early age helps equip young people to make sound financial decisions that will set themselves up for success.”

Read more...



Friday, April 12, 2019

Marijuana Banking Bill Introduced

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by: Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Washington, D.C. - April 12, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019 to ensure that legal cannabis businesses can access banking services.

“The fact is, we already have legal medical marijuana businesses in New Jersey,” said Sen. Menendez. “What they don’t have are bank services to pay employees, take credit cards, write checks or pay taxes. Instead, they’re forced to operate entirely in cash—large sums—an open invitation for robbery and crime. We can fix this with common sense legislation that simply allows banks and credit unions to service these legitimate, legal enterprises without risk of federal prosecution.”

Currently, cannabis businesses operating under state laws that have legalized medicinal or recreational marijuana have been mostly denied access to the banking system because banks can be prosecuted under federal law. Without the ability to access bank accounts, accept credit cards, or write checks, businesses must operate using large amounts of cash. This creates safety risks for businesses and surrounding communities, and makes it more difficult for local and state governments to collect taxes.

Sen. Menendez said he also plans to soon introduce separate legislation to allow insurance companies to provide services to legal marijuana businesses. Currently, those businesses are largely barred from getting property, fire, flood, liability and other insurance products.

“Legal marijuana businesses don’t just need banking services, they need insurance in order to operate and seek financing, and insurers need the green light to participate in this emerging market,” he said.

At a Senate banking panel hearing in February, Senator Menendez asked Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell about the fact that most banks can’t service legal marijuana businesses because the drug remains illegal on the federal level. Powell agreed with Menendez that Congress should consider providing both financial institutions and insurance providers new clarity so that businesses can operate not only legally, but safely, and that local economies can benefit.

The SAFE Banking Act of 2019

  • Provides safe harbor for depository institutions and credit unions by preventing Federal banking regulators from:
  • Terminating or limiting depository institutions’ Deposit Insurance Fund or credit unions’ share insurance under the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund for providing services to a state-sanctioned and regulated cannabis business, or to a tribe that has cannabis-related businesses, solely because that institution is providing services to a legitimate state-sanctioned and regulated cannabis business;
  • Prohibiting, penalizing, or discouraging a depository institutions from providing financial services to a legitimate state-sanctioned and regulated cannabis business;
  • Recommending or incentivizing a depository institution to halt or downgrade providing any kind of banking services to these businesses; or
  • Taking any action on a loan to an owner or operator of a cannabis-related business.
  • Creates safe harbor from liability and asset forfeiture for institutions and their officers and employees who provide financial services to legitimate cannabis businesses pursuant to state or tribal law.
  • Does not require depository institutions or credit unions to provide financial services to a cannabis-related legitimate business.
  • Requires depository institutions and credit unions to file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) under the Bank Secrecy Act pursuant to relevant Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) guidance.


  • See Also:

    MERKLEY, GARDNER LEAD SENATE INTRODUCTION OF BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO BANKING SERVICES FOR LEGAL CANNABIS BUSINESSES

    Wednesday, April 10, 2019

    Legislation would separate commercial and investment banks





    by: Marcy Kaptur (D-OH, 9th)

    Washington, D.C. - April 10, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- ongresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), the House’s longest serving woman, led a group of 26 House members to introduce the Return to Prudent Banking Act of 2019, legislation that would reinstate and expand the historic provisions of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 restricting affiliations between commercial and investment banks. The legislation has been endorsed by AFL-CIO, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Communications Workers of America, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Public Citizen, and Take on Wall Street.

    “In the wake of the Great Depression, Congress worked on a bipartisan basis to pass the Glass-Steagall Act to separate commercial banks and securities firms and prevent Wall Street from gambling away the American people’s hard-earned money. Tragically, the Big Banks and their lobbyists pressured Congress to repeal the law in 1999. This misguided deregulation opened the floodgates for growth of financial institutions that are too big to fail and encouraged the type of risky behaviors that led to the crash of the American financial system in 2008. While we made significant progress when President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Act, large commercial and investment banks are still tied together in an institutional risk that threatens the financial well-being of our country. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this vital legislation so we can ensure the security and stability of our financial system,” said Rep. Kaptur.

    "The same Wall Street banks that crashed our economy in 2008 and put millions out of work remain too-big-to-fail to this day. We need to ensure that our members' and our retirees' livelihoods aren't jeopardized again by the reckless behavior of a Wall Street megabank. The Return to Prudent Banking Act is a smart solution that would reinstate the barrier between commercial and investment banking and make our financial system safer. CWA fully supports the Return to Prudent Banking Act and we thank Rep. Kaptur for her continued leadership on this important issue,” said Shane Larson, Director of Legislation for Communications Workers of America

    “Lessons learned from the Great Depression and the Economic collapse of 2008 are proof enough that the American Public need protection from banks that are too big to fail, most especially a clean separation between investment and commercial banking as was provided by the Glass-Steagall act. We need to put people ahead of irresponsible financial greed. IFPTE is proud to support this legislation,” said Paul Sharon, President of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers

    Public Citizen enthusiastically welcomes Rep. Kaptur’s much needed bill to restore prudence to the banking industry. Because Congress repealed the ban on banks owning casino-like securities gambling operations in 1999, it took less than a decade for reckless conduct funded by government-backed deposits to crash the world economy,” said Bartlett Naylor, Financial Policy Advocate for Public Citizen.

    "There is nothing inevitable about Too Big To Fail. We separated investment and deposit banking for decades, and Glass-Steagall was very effective at preventing the banks from becoming the unmanageable monoliths they are today. Congresswoman Kaptur's Return to Prudent Banking Act would restore the guardrails for the big banks, and go a long way toward making them manageable again," said Porter McConnell, Director of the Take On Wall Street Coalition.

    Background:

  • The Glass-Steagall Act was signed into law in June 1933 following the 1929 stock market crash and subsequent Great Depression. The legislation separated commercial banking from investment banking while creating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The purpose of the legislation was to restrict the use of bank credit for speculation and instead direct bank credit into commerce, industry, and agriculture. In 1999, the provisions that restricted affiliations between banks and securities firms was repealed by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. The repeal of these important provisions contributed to the Great Recession.

  • The Return to Prudent Banking Act amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA) to prohibit any insured depository institution from being an affiliate of any broker or dealer, investment adviser, investment company, or any other person or entity engaged principally in the issue, flotation, underwriting, public sale, or distribution of stocks, bonds, debentures, notes, or other securities.

  • Prohibits officers, directors and employees of securities firms from simultaneous service on the boards of depository institutions, except in specified circumstances.

  • Requires any such individual serving as an officer, director, employee, or other institution-affiliated party of any insured depository institution to terminate such service as soon as practicable after enactment of this Act. Requires an insured depository institution to wind-down in an orderly manner and terminate any affiliation prohibited by this Act.

  • Amends the Banking Act of 1933 (Glass-Steagall Act) to expand its prohibition against the transaction of banking activities by securities firms.

  • Declares that Congress ratifies the interpretation by the Supreme Court of specified statutory language in the case of Investment Company Institute v. Camp (ICI) regarding permissible activities of banks and securities firms.

  • Declares that the reasoning of the Court in that case shall continue to apply to the limitations placed upon security affiliations under the FDIA as enacted by this Act. Prohibits a federal banking agency or federal court from issuing an interpretation regarding such security affiliations that is narrower than that of the Court in ICI.

  • Makes technical and conforming changes to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Revised Statutes of the United States, and specified federal law.

  • Requires the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Comptroller of the Currency, or another appropriate federal banking agency to report to Congress a detailed description of the basis for its decision each time it makes a determination or grants an extension concerning an affiliation between insured depository institutions and investment banks or securities firms.


    Endorsing Organizations:

    AFL-CIO
    International Brotherhood of Teamsters
    Communications Workers of America
    International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers
    Public Citizen
    Take on Wall Street


    Original Cosponsors:

    Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-3)
    Rep. Susan Wild (PA-7)
    Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA-8)
    Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17)
    Rep. Jackie Speier (CA-14)
    Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12)
    Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-9)
    Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-4)
    Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At-Large)
    Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-2)
    Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-5)
    Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-2)
    Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9)
    Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-7)
    Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-1)
    Rep. David Cicilline (RI-1)
    Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA-18)
    Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20)
    Rep. Peter Welch (VT-At-Large)
    Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13)
    Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-32)
    Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-2)
    Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-3)
    Rep. John Yarmuth (KY-3)
    Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40)


    Bill text for the legislation can be found here
  • Saturday, February 23, 2019

    Banks Doing Well in Thriving Economy, Says ABA





    By James Chessen, ABA’s chief economist

    Washington, D.C. - February 23, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- “The latest FDIC data show that America’s banks are healthy, well capitalized and making the loans that help Main Street businesses succeed. With tax reform helping to spur business expansion, banks stepped up to meet increased loan demand from businesses of all sizes. Business lending picked up 7.8 percent over the year, and total bank lending saw the biggest quarter-over-quarter increase since 2015. Bank lending grew a healthy 4.4 percent to over $10 trillion in total loans, an increase of $431 billion in 2018. Depositors benefited from increased competition for funds as banks looked to attract more deposits to supply loan demand.

    “As always, banks are keeping a watchful eye on the state of the economy and are well positioned to manage any changes that affect the business landscape, including additional interest rate moves by the Fed. Banks continue to maintain credit discipline, and are building up reserves for potential loan losses as they look ahead to the twilight of this economic cycle. This is on top of a record $2 trillion in capital that provides a strong foundation for financial security and economic growth.

    “The FDIC’s renewed focus on supporting de novo banks is encouraging as new institutions show the promise of a brighter future for communities and the industry. With a solid foundation of capital and high-quality assets, banks remain well positioned to support continued economic growth in 2019 and beyond.”

    The American Bankers Association is the voice of the nation’s $17.9 trillion banking industry, which is composed of small, regional and large banks that together employ more than 2 million people, safeguard nearly $14 trillion in deposits and extend more than $10 trillion in loans.

    Friday, October 26, 2018

    Economy, Bomb Suspect, Banking and MORE


    Today's News from the Lawmakers

    Economy



    Latta Statement On 3rd Quarter Economic Growth

    Suspicious Explosive Devices



    All House Oversight Committee Members Unite To Issue Joint Statement on Terrorist Attacks

    Rep. Loudermilk Praises Law Enforcement, Emphasizes Civility

    Rep. Lujan Grisham Reaction to Acts of Political Violence

    LOWEY STATEMENT AFTER EXPLOSIVES SENT TO CLINTON, OBAMA, SOROS


    MacArthur Statement on Arrest Made in Connection to Suspicious Packages


    Banking



    The Banking Transparency for Sanctioned Persons Act of 2018, H.R. 6751

    Luetkemeyer Doubles Down on Calls to Investigate Operation Choke Point

    What is Operation Choke Point?

    Rep. Meeks Sends Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Urging Banking Regulator to Continue Work on Economic Inclusion.

    In Other News...



    Congressman McCarthy on Congress' Action to Counter Foreign Aggression

    MacArthur, SBA Announce Disaster Assistance for Brick Flood Victims

    MITCHELL APPLAUDS DOJ ANTI-HEROIN TASK FORCE PROGRAM GRANT FOR MICHIGAN

    In Case You Missed It...



    Mast’s EAA Southern Storage Reservoir Legislation Signed Into Law By President

    ICYMI: NYC Members Introduce Legislation for Commemorative Stamp Honoring 150th Anniversary of Metropolitan Museum of Art

    Lynch Sends Letter to President Trump in Opposition to Privatization of War in Afghanistan


    The Ponder happens to agree with Lynch. Do we really want mercenaries who will work for who pays them the most to do our dirty work? American wars should be fought by Americans who are willing to sacrifice everything for their country, regardless of the pay scale. Freedom is priceless. The pay is a bonus. This is why I salute our brothers and sisters in arms. They don't do it for the pay, although they deserve the highest pay for what they do. They don't do it to glorify themselves or to become the best, because they are ALREADY the best! Real heroes don't do it for the pay. They do it because it is the right thing to do.


    Sunday, February 11, 2018

    John Kelly, Banking, South Korea and Budget



    News from the Lawmakers



    MCCOLLUM CALLS FOR TRUMP TO FIRE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF JOHN KELLY


    Betty McCollum (D-MN, 4th)
    “President Donald Trump’s comments today defending White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter demonstrate that the Trump-Pence White House is an environment that lacks any shred of decency and is completely at odds with the values of the American people, especially the women of this country. With his outspoken endorsement and support of accused child molester Roy Moore and now his sympathetic defense of a violent domestic abuser, it is clear that President Trump is willing to excuse the vilest forms of abuse.

    Read more...



    Rep. Meeks and 32 House Democrats Urge Federal Banking Agencies to Strengthen Community Reinvestment Act Rules


    Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY, 5th)
    Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) led 32 other House Democrats, including members of the House Financial Services Committee, on a letter (below) to Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin and Comptroller of the Currency Joseph M. Otting. The letter urges the administration to prioritize the interests of underserved communities as they update federal regulations under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).

    Read more...



    Meng Cosponsors Resolution to Recognize Growth and Contributions of South Korea


    Grace Meng (D-NY, 6th)
    With the Winter Olympics kicking off in Pyeongchang this week, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) announced today that she has cosponsored a bipartisan resolution (H.Res.707) that seeks to recognize the growth and transformation of South Korea, and its significant contributions to the international community.

    Read more...





    Statements from Newsmakers for Today



    Kevin McCarthy (R-CA, 23rd)

    “This has been a difficult year in our state as wildfires took more lives, burned more homes, and destroyed more communities than any of us would have imagined. Not only must we rebuild, we must also do everything in our power to make our communities even more resilient after these disasters. For months, the House has fought for disaster relief for California, and I was honored to work with my bipartisan California colleagues and pass legislation to help those affected by wildfires last December. Today, that relief has finally passed the House and Senate and will soon be signed into law by the President.

    “Whether it’s for those who faced wildfires in Southern or Northern California this past year, this legislation makes sure that victims of California’s wildfires are treated exactly the same as people who faced natural disasters in states like Texas and Florida. We’ve also enacted tax relief for wildfire victims and expanded Stafford Act disaster assistance programs to include religious entities like churches, which are usually among the first on the ground helping people and saving lives.

    “I am glad both sides of the political aisle came together to deliver this relief for the people of California. From Representatives Mike Thompson and Jared Huffman to Ken Calvert, Jeff Denham and Mimi Walters, we put our partisan differences aside to help our state. Though it is deeply disappointing that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi voted against this disaster funding, we will keep working together to help the people of California get back on their feet and build stronger for the future.”

    Michael T. McCaul (R-TX, 10th)

    “I was proud to cast my vote today to keep our government open and fund our military. Holding this critical funding for our troops hostage is reckless and unacceptable. In fact, our Secretary of Defense James Mattis has said, “no enemy in the field has done more to harm the readiness of the U.S. military than the [military cuts we experienced under President Obama].” Thankfully, today, Congress passed a budget agreement to end the harmful sequester so we can provide assurances to our brave men and women in uniform and rebuild our military capabilities and readiness.

    “This package also provides $89.3 billion in long-delayed and much needed disaster relief funding for those affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. The House passed legislation last December to provide those still struggling to rebuild their lives with the resources they need, but it is has been stalled in the Senate. With this bill, Texas and other impacted areas will finally receive significant federal help to rebuild, including $17.39 billion in Army Corp funding to help build our flood mitigation projects and prevent future flood disasters.

    “Since day one, I have been working tirelessly to provide federal assistance to those affected by Hurricane Harvey. I am glad to see our budget agreement pass today to provide serious relief to Texans in need. We must continue to put the safety and security of the American people above all else.”

    Tom McClintock (R-CA, 4th)

    NO. This measure abandons any pretense of fiscal responsibility and increases federal spending caps by nearly $300 billion ($2,400 per household) over the next two years. It sets up a structure that will allow Congress to bypass its own budget rules and extends a laundry list of subsidies and special-interest tax breaks. It also suspends the debt limit for a year, for obvious reasons. It has a few silver linings: it repeals IPAB (Obamacare’s rationing board), gives the Pentagon predictable funding for the next two years and provides disaster relief.

    Congress approved a massive tax reduction with my support in December. It is essential for economic growth and is already having a dramatic positive effect on wages and business expansion. However, having cut taxes, Congress has a keen responsibility to restrain spending growth – a responsibility it repudiates with this measure.

    Taxes and debt are both driven by spending. Indeed, they are the same thing. Once we have spent a dollar, we’ve already decided to tax it: the only question is whether we tax it now, or borrow it now and tax it in the future. But borrowing also has serious implications for the present: government borrows from the same capital pool that would otherwise be available to loan for consumer and home purchases and business expansion. A lack of fiscal restraint now undermines the economic growth we have achieved with the tax cuts.

    Interest rates are already rising, and economists warn that a sharp increase in deficits could cause markets to charge even higher rates for federal borrowing. A one percent increase in interest rates would add $200 billion to our ANNUAL borrowing costs, dwarfing the few cost-savings reforms we’ve managed to enact and threatening a debt spiral that would end in a sovereign debt crisis.

    A. Donald McEachin (D VA, 4th)

    “Early this morning, as I voted I was genuinely conflicted. I felt I was left no satisfactory option with the budget deal put before the House of Representatives.

    “I was pleased to see that this bill created overdue investments in important services and programs that will help my constituents – and millions of other hardworking Americans. I am pleased to see rural health programs and other very needed domestic plans pass. However, I had made a commitment to DREAMers who are still left without a resolution. These young people were brought to this country as children and have contributed to the economy and betterment of our communities.

    “The DACA program has wide bipartisan support, and we were only in this impossible situation because the Speaker refuses to bring a clean DACA bill to the Floor. I call on the Speaker to bring the DACA program up for a clean vote, not as part of an immigration bill that must have the President's stamp of approval before we can even discuss or debate. I believe in the important programs in last night's bill, but I also believe we owe these young people to stand by our word.”

    Patrick T. McHenry (R-NC, 10th)

    "In the last decade we’ve seen the growth of radical Islamic terrorism and the continued rise of anti-American regimes in Russia and North Korea. Yet—as the world has become an increasingly dangerous place—we’ve failed to properly provide for our military. With passage of this budget agreement, we’ve begun to change that.

    “General Mattis made clear the increased defense funding in this package is necessary to repair our military and ensure our troops have the resources they need. By passing this budget agreement we are standing with President Trump and fulfilling our shared commitment to strengthening our military and keeping Americans safe.”

    Martha McSally (R-AZ, 2nd)

    “Today I voted with President Trump and Secretary Mattis to halt sequestration and increase defense spending. My vote is for our men and women in uniform who are relying on this boost in defense resources to carry out their mission and to keep us safe. Eight years’ worth of anemic defense budgets and neglect under President Obama’s defense sequester have thrown our military into a full-blown readiness crisis—and Secretary Mattis has made it very clear that, unless we pass a budget and fund the troops they will not have the resources to maintain their operations and deter war. That’s why, from the outset, I demanded that this bill include $700 billion this year and $716 billion next year for our troops to fulfill our military’s request—and it does.

    This bill also dismantles another pillar of Obamacare: The ‘Independent Payment Advisory Board’—also known as the Death Panels and tasked with rationing Medicare.

    We cannot hold our military hostage while we tackle other long-term spending and move towards fiscal responsibility. This landmark increase in defense spending will finally start to give our troops what they need to keep us safe.”

    Mark Meadows (R-NC, 11th)

    “Congress failed to get its fiscal house in order by passing a Budget Agreement that raises the Budget Control Caps by $300 billion, suspends the debt ceiling, and extends several other expensive spending provisions. For months, several of my colleagues and I urged Congressional leadership to work toward a long-term, responsible budget that gives our armed forces the funding and stability they deserve. I voted several times in the past year to honor that promise to our service members. And unfortunately, while this Budget Agreement provides a needed investment in our nation’s military, that investment comes with a heavy burden that our children and grandchildren will be strapped with.

    I want to fund our military, but at what cost? Should we bankrupt our country in the process? Estimates suggest this bill will likely increase government spending by $1.5 trillion. This is not budgeting. I’m profoundly disappointed.

    When I ran for Congress, I promised the people of Western North Carolina that I would fight to rein in Washington’s addiction to spending. This budget fails to do that. This doesn’t represent the promise I gave to my voters, and I suspect it isn’t what many of my colleagues promised their constituents, either.

    At some point, Washington has to get serious about stopping this before it’s too late. I’m very disappointed in today’s result, but I maintain my commitment to fighting for the kind of fiscal responsibility that can sustain our country for decades to come. And I’m committed to fighting for the day when we will do better.”

    Gwen Moore (D-WI, 4th)

    “After scrambling in utter chaos to end their second shutdown in a month, the Republican majority passed a budget agreement in the early hours of this morning. This bill paves the way for an omnibus spending bill, funds community health centers, disaster relief, the opioid epidemic, veterans, and rural broadband. Although Democrats have long fought for the inclusion of these provisions in this bill, at the end of the day, it simply wasn’t enough to overlook what was excluded.

    “As I contemplated how to cast my vote today, I thought of the strength and courage of Wisconsin DREAMers like Valeria Ruiz Lira and Alejandra Gonzalez. Like many DREAMers, Valeria and Alejandra have called the United States home for most of their lives. Yet, they – as well as hundreds of thousands across the country – have been forced to live in a constant state of uncertainty as congressional Republicans embrace President Trump’s bigoted policies and deny our DREAMers of their basic humanity. Despite such hateful opposition, these young men and women remain resolute. They are undocumented and unafraid. And as long as I’m in Congress, I’ll make sure they’re not alone in this fight.

    “Speaker Ryan’s continued failure to step up and schedule a vote to protect DREAMers is nothing short of shameful. As the March 5 deadline to pass permanent protections for DREAMers approaches, I will continue to fight for a DACA deal with great force and conviction. Democrats have worked hard to put American families first at every turn. Now, it is time for Republicans to follow suit and remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who taught us, ‘The time is always right to do what’s right.’”

    Seth Moulton (D-MA, 6th)

    “Budgeting month to month and governing crisis to crisis is no way to run anything, let alone the United States of America. Republican leadership, if you can even call it that right now, is an embarrassment. America is better than this.

    “I voted against this deal because it shortchanged all the things we should be coming together, as both Democrats and Republicans, to accomplish for the people we represent. Rather than play politics with funding our government, pitting one group against another, we should make strong investments in our future.

    “A good deal supports our economy. Just look at the reaction of the stock market over the past week as Republicans careened towards another shutdown. Of course most Americans don’t have stocks, but rely on all the other investments we make: in education, health care, and in our local communities, especially after natural disasters. These things must be adequately funded.

    “A good deal supports our troops. As general after general has told us, short-term deals hobble our Pentagon planners and endanger our military. Only with a predictable budget, that is adequately funded, can we make the investments in our troops and technology to meet the latest threats.

    “A good deal invests in our future. At times like this, most talk focuses on government spending. But equally important is the other half of the equation because we ultimately can’t pay our troops, pay our Medicare bills, and invest in our future without the funds to do so. This is why the Republican tax cut for the rich is so dangerous for us all: it triples the deficit. And we can’t afford that. This deal makes it even worse.

    “And don’t sell America short–don’t think for a second that we can’t do these things and also take care of DREAMers, whom overwhelming majorities of Americans want to support. These innocent kids grew up in America, only know this country, and deserve some certainty for their futures. They serve in our military and are our kids’ friends in school. They, too, deserve a chance at the American Dream.

    “Yesterday, even Secretary Mattis, President Trump’s own Secretary of Defense, came out in support of DREAMers in our military, promising they won’t get deported. If someone inside the Trump Administration can stand strong, so should we. What Democrats are asking from Speaker Ryan is so simple: Just do your job and allow the House of Representatives to vote on an immigration plan. Vote how you want, but give us that chance. Give these innocent kids that chance. It’s the very least we should do.

    “For all these reasons, I voted against this inadequate deal. And for all these reasons, I’m working hard to bring new leadership to Washington. We can do better, and I feel confident that if this deal had failed, we would have moved closer to addressing the many challenges our nation faces. That is our job.”

    Markwayne Mullin (R-OK, 2nd)

    “Early this morning, the House passed a budget agreement to continue government operations and most importantly, end the ill effects of an underfunded military due to years of sequestration,” Mullin said. “I voted in favor of the measure—not because I liked everything that was in the bill—but because I could not turn my back on our men and women in uniform. Our President and Commander in Chief and General Mattis asked me and my colleagues to vote for the bill. Due to the uncertainty around the world and our national security risks, it is our duty to fully support our troops who are protecting all of our rights. The vote that I cast this morning reflects my unwavering commitment to support the men and women of our armed forces who put their lives on the line to protect ours.”

    ===

    ===

    Background on the Bipartisan Budget Act courtesy of House Speaker Paul Ryan (WI-01) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY):

  • This agreement will unwind the sequestration cuts that have hamstrung America’s armed forces and jeopardized our national security by funding the military at this year’s National Defense Authorization Act levels.
  • It breaks the spending “parity” demanded for years by Democrats by giving defense a larger funding increase than non-defense discretionary spending. Compared to current law spending caps, the agreement increases defense discretionary funding by $80 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 and $85 billion in FY 2019 vs. an increase in non-defense domestic discretionary of $63 billion in FY 2018 and $68 billion in FY 2019.
  • This agreement provides for America’s veterans by helping reduce the maintenance backlog at the Veterans Administration.
    It also provides almost $90 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief efforts for communities crippled by hurricanes in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida and Texas.
  • This agreement includes $6 billion over two years to bolster the ongoing fight against opioid addiction and substance abuse by funding grants, prevention programs, and law enforcement efforts in vulnerable communities across the country.
  • The agreement includes a $20 billion new investment in America’s infrastructure—a bipartisan priority shared by the President and lawmakers in both parties.
  • The agreement lifts the debt limit through March 1, 2019.
  • It includes structural reforms to Medicare and cuts to Obamacare, and repeals the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) from Obamacare.
  • It includes an extension of funding for Community Health Centers.
    This agreement includes an extension of tax relief provisions that are supported by Republicans and Democrats.
  • It includes $2 billion in funding over two years for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  • It establishes two committees to address pension and budget/appropriations reform.

    Continuing Resolution & Disaster Supplemental:

  • The agreement includes a Continuing Resolution (CR) that funds the government at current levels through March 23, 2018 in order for the Appropriations Committees to negotiate detailed appropriations and deliver full funding for the remainder of FY 2018, and begin the process for FY 2019.
  • The legislation also contains almost $90 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to help states, communities, businesses, and individuals respond and recover from recent hurricanes, wildfires and other disasters. Within in this funding, $4.9 billion is provided to increase Medicaid caps for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands for two years, along with program requirements.

    Tax & Health Care Policies:

  • The agreement includes a one-year extension of critical tax provisions that help families, individuals and small businesses across the country. These provisions expired at the end of 2016.
  • It includes an additional four years of authorization for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
    The measure also includes a package of bipartisan Medicare provisions, known as Medicare extenders, and funding for community health centers.




  • Saturday, February 10, 2018

    H.R. 4771, The Small Bank Holding Company Relief Act

    Source: Mia Love (R-UT, 4th)



    Washington, D.C. - February 10, 2018 - (The Ponder News) -- Rep. Mia Love’s bill to make it easier for families, small businesses, start-ups, and family farms to obtain loans from small financial institutions has passed the House of Representatives.

    H.R. 4771, The Small Bank Holding Company Relief Act eases overregulation on these banks and savings and loans, helping these institutions raise capital so they can make loans in their community.

    Congresswoman Love said: “Smaller banks are the lifeblood of many communities in Utah. They support the credit needs of low and middle income families as well as the small businesses, farmers and entrepreneurs that create jobs.”

    “Sometimes these small banks are the only lending source for many hard working and ambitious people,” Rep. Love added.

    Doug DeFries C.E.O., Bank of Utah said: “Rep. Love's bill will make a big difference to the Bank of Utah, to our customers and the community at large. We are impressed at her ability to show bipartisan leadership to obtain success on a very important issue like this.”

    Len E. Williams, CEO, Bank of American Fork and the People’s Intermountain Bank family: “We are thrilled that Congresswoman Love’s leadership has resulted in bipartisan action bringing real relief to our community. Small banks play such an important role in supporting local businesses, families and individuals in our communities, and this law makes it easier for that to happen.”

    In technical terms, Rep. Love’s bill would raise the consolidated asset threshold under the Federal Reserve’s Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement from $1 billion to $3 billion. The Policy Statement exempts small institutions under the threshold from the Fed’s Tier 1 capital-to-risk weighted assets ratio requirements. The effect of the increased threshold will be to allow more of the smaller bank holding companies to downstream the proceeds of any debt or equity they issue to their banking subsidiaries, helping these institutions make loans and provide services in their communities.

    The bill is cosponsored by Representatives from across the aisle, Representative Josh Gottheimer D-NJ, and Representative Gregory Meeks D-NY who say the bill is an important step toward supporting community-focused institutions.

    Thursday, October 26, 2017

    Senate votes to undermine Americans’ right to a day in court

    Source: National Consumers League

    B2C Jewels

    Washington, D.C. - October 26, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The National Consumers League (NCL) condemns the Senate’s passage of a Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) arbitration rule. The rule would have allowed consumers access to courts after big banks like Wells Fargo steal their identity, or credit bureaus like Equifax compromise consumers’ most personal information.

    The following statement is attributable to Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director:

    “Last night, while most Americans were sleeping, 50 Senate Republicans and Vice President Mike Pence voted to take away our sacred right to a day in court. Today, in the aftermath of massive financial wrongdoings like Wells Fargo’s nearly 1.4 million fraudulent accounts scandal or Equifax’s massive data breach, financial companies will continue to be free to bury binding arbitration clauses in their terms of service. These ‘rip-off clauses’ are designed to prevent consumers from having their day in court or joining together to form a class action lawsuit after they are harmed.

    In fact, earlier this year the NCL Board of Directors voted to take NCL’s operating capital out of Wells Fargo and switch to Bank of Labor precisely because of Wells’ requirement that customers to give up their rights. Bank of Labor, Bank of America and many credit unions are thriving without forcing their customers to sign away rights through these odious ‘rip-off clauses.” We applaud CFPB director Richard Cordray, whom NCL is honoring this evening, for his efforts to protect the consumer rights that were just taken away in one fell swoop by this unfortunate Senate vote.

    The Senate’s decision to side with Wall Street over consumers is shameful. The denial of one of our most basic rights as Americans -- the right to our day in court -- is a massive step backwards for consumers and our nation. While this may be a setback, the National Consumers league will continue fighting before Congress and the Administration to reaffirm consumers basic rights, including, the right to justice.”

    The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America's pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.

    Saturday, October 7, 2017

    Treasury Recommendations Would Strengthen Banks’ Role in Financial Marketplace

    Source: American Bankers Association

    “The recommendations in today’s Treasury report are practical, reasonable and achievable. Building on the Treasury’s pro-growth report in June, these recommendations would promote economic growth by enhancing banks’ ability to serve their customers and reinforcing our industry’s role in supporting well-functioning financial markets.

    “Treasury acknowledges the economic benefits gained by better focusing regulatory provisions to make them more workable. Key recommendations include broadening liquidity measures, better aligning capital requirements with securitization risks, facilitating banks’ ability to use swaps to manage their customers’ risks, and bringing more public transparency to global financial standard setting to ensure standards match the realities of U.S. markets.

    “Many of the recommendations in the report would make it easier to raise capital, meet the needs of bank customers operating domestically and abroad, and focus regulatory processes on effective supervision without harming the economy. We encourage policymakers to take up these recommendations quickly, and look forward to working with them to ensure banks can continue to help our customers and the economy grow.”

    Related News:

    Read the Treasury Press Release about the report HERE

    ICBA Backs Bill Alleviating Harm from Preemption Ruling

    Source: Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA)

    Washington, D.C. - October 6, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- ICBA and other organizations expressed support for legislation to codify the longstanding legal principle that if a loan is valid when it is made with respect to its interest rate, then it does not become invalid or unenforceable when assigned to another party.

    The “valid-when-made” doctrine was undermined by the Madden v. Midland Funding case, in which the Second Circuit decided that state usury laws apply to debt purchased from a national bank.

    The Protecting Consumers’ Access to Credit Act of 2017 (S. 1642 and H.R. 3299) would alleviate the uncertainty that ruling injected into the secondary markets for consumer and commercial credit, which has resulted in increased costs and decreased competition.

    The bill was introduced by Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Reps. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.).

    ICBA has long supported the bill and disagrees with the Second Circuit ruling, arguing in a 2015 amicus brief that the decision conflicts with established precedent that preemption rights are not extinguished when banks sell or assign loans to another party.

    Friday, October 6, 2017

    EQUIFAX’S FORMER CEO ADMITS THE COMPANY CONTINUES TO PURSUE “LEGALLY VIABLE” FORCED ARBITRATION

    Source: American Association for Justice

    Washington, D.C. - October 6, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Appearing before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs today, former Equifax Chairman and CEO Richard F. Smith admitted that since it’s a “legally viable path,” the company still pursues forced arbitration. This admission comes just weeks after Equifax abruptly removed the forced arbitration clause, after massive public outcry, that prevented victims of Equifax’s recent date breach from pursuing justice in court. These efforts to strip consumers of their rights could be stopped altogether if the U.S. Senate were to allow the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) forced arbitration rule to go into effect.

    “The fact that Equifax is still imposing forced arbitration on its customers, even after their data breach fiasco, further proves why we need to uphold the CFPB rule,” said American Association for Justice CEO Linda Lipsen. “Shame on Equifax for trying to push consumers into forced arbitration after enduring the largest data breach in U.S. history, but it shouldn’t be legal for Equifax to try such a move in the first place.”

    Last month it was revealed that 143 million consumers (roughly 40% of all Americans) had their personal information stolen in a massive data breach. Once it became public that Equifax was trying to steer these victims into forced arbitration, the company quickly withdrew the arbitration clause and blamed its existence on a technical error. Smith’s admission proves that unless the CFPB rule exists, companies like his will continue to use forced arbitration to deny their customers access to justice, putting the American public at the mercy of financial institutions and Wall Street banks.

    “We’ve seen that when consumers lose their rights, companies like Equifax and Wells Fargo are going to take advantage of them,” concluded Lipsen. “When banks and credit reporting agencies break the law and rip off their customers, Americans should have the choice as to how to hold the corporation accountable.”

    Yesterday, Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan appeared in front of the same Senate Committee and repeatedly lied about the corporation’s continued use of forced arbitration, drawing further attention to the need for CFPB’s rule.

    Senator Warren to Wells Fargo CEO: "You should be fired."

    Washington, D.C. - October 6, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- At the Senate Banking Committee hearing, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asked Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan about his record at the company, including his actions as CFO during the fake accounts scandal. She also pressed him on his plans to cut $4 billion in expenses over the next several years, and whether those cuts would result in the firing of thousands of frontline Wells Fargo employees.

    Senator Warren questioned Mr. Sloan, a Wells Fargo employee for thirty years, about his ability to reorient the company in the wake of the fake accounts scandal. Mr. Sloan served as CFO during a portion of the scandal, during which he aggressively promoted Wells Fargo's ability to open up new accounts for existing customers, according to transcripts from investor calls.

    During her questioning, Senator Warren noted a 2013 article detailing the relentless pressure imposed on Wells Fargo employees to open new accounts. At the time, Mr. Sloan said he was "not aware" of any problem, and did not launch an investigation into the matter. Wells Fargo's own report noted that he was aware of the issues with sales practices at the time of the interview. The Senator also highlighted a 2016 interview during which Mr. Sloan, then the COO, was asked whether the bank had pushed sales goals and cross-selling too far and he responded "No" and "the fundamental strategy that we have is not going to change."

    "You knew there was a problem and when you were asked about it, you lied. This is about personal responsibility. Wells Fargo cheated millions of people for years. The Federal Reserve should remove all of the current board members who served during the fake accounts scam. And Mr. Sloan, you say you've been making changes at Wells Fargo for thirty years, but you enabled this fake account scam, you got rich off it, and then you tried to cover it up," said Senator Warren. "At best you were incompetent, at worst you were complicit. Either way, you should be fired. Wells Fargo needs to start over and that won't happen until the bank rids itself of people like you, who led it into this crisis."

    During a second round of questioning, Senator Warren pressed Mr. Sloan on the bank's new financial plan, which calls for $4 billion in cuts over the next several years. Senator Warren ran through the numbers, noting that in order to make the 8% reduction in non-interest expenses, Wells Fargo would likely have to fire as many as 20,000 of its 270,000 employees, whose compensation and benefits account for 60% of the bank's expenses.

    "Given your statements about how much you value your employees, can you tell us today that you will not be firing any employees as part of this $4 billion cut?" asked Senator Warren. "I cannot," replied Mr. Sloan.

    Senator Warren also noted that Mr. Sloan was calling for a $4 billion cut in expenses - and potentially firing thousands of employees - while simultaneously committing to spend $11.5 billion over the next year on stock buybacks.

    "Now that the fake accounts scandal has tanked Wells Fargo's reputation, your way of pumping up the bottom line and keeping Wall Street investors happy is to slash costs by firing low level employees," said Senator Warren. "In these corporate scandals, it is almost always the frontline workers who pay the price - not the executives. The only way we're ever going to stop these scandals is to hold executives personally accountable - to fire the people who are responsible and, when they break the law, to march some of them out of the building in handcuffs. Until we do that, these scandals are going to continue, and working people are going to continue to take the brunt of it."

    Watch video of Senator Warren's questioning of Mr. Sloan's record here. Watch the exchange over employee cuts here.

    Thursday, October 5, 2017

    Reed Introduces Legislation to Hold Corporate Executives Accountable for Fraudulent Actions

    Washington, D.C. - October 5, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- In an effort to prevent fraudulent and negligent behavior at large financial institutions and hold senior executives accountable, U.S. Senator Jack Reed has introduced the Corporate Management Accountability Act, which asks publicly traded companies to disclose policies on whether senior executives or shareholders bear the costs of paying the company’s fines and penalties.

    Reed is introducing the legislation in the wake of several notable instances of negligent behavior by financial institutions - including Wells Fargo’s exploitation of its customers by opening unauthorized accounts and Equifax’s endangering millions of consumers by compromising critical personal information - that continue to undermine public confidence in the financial marketplace.

    “Senior executives, many of whom are eager to take credit for a company’s good news, must also take more responsibility for the bad news, especially if it is true that the buck stops with them,” said Senator Reed, a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee. “For example, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission concluded ‘the financial crisis reached cataclysmic proportions with the collapse of Lehman Brothers,’ and yet, according to the Congressional Research Service, not a single senior executive officer at Lehman Brothers at the federal level was charged, went to jail, or personally paid a federal fine or penalty for the damage caused at Lehman Brothers that rippled through our economy in 2008. Companies must do a better job of aligning executive incentives so that they are motivated to put their shareholders, and not themselves, first.”

    According to Professor Peter J. Henning, who writes for the White Collar Watch column for the New York Times: “A problem in holding individuals accountable for misconduct in an organization is the disconnect between the actual decisions and those charged with overseeing the company, so that executives and corporate boards usually plead ignorance about an issue until it is too late.”

    The Corporate Management Accountability Act is one attempt at helping to solve this problem by asking publicly traded companies to disclose whether they expect senior executives or shareholders to pay the cost of corporate fines or penalties.

    In the wake of the Wells Fargo scandal, Senator Reed questioned former Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf during a Banking Committee hearing and pushed for answers as to why the bank opened up millions of fake bank accounts for customers. In August, after it was revealed that as many as 570,000 Wells Fargo customers may have been charged premiums for unwanted auto insurance they did not need, he joined his fellow committee members (Ranking Member) Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren, and others in leading the call for a public hearing to review consumer rights violations by Wells Fargo.

    In September, after Equifax revealed that unauthorized parties had obtained sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, addresses, and driver’s license numbers for as many as 143 million people, Senator Reed led a bipartisan group of 37 senators asking the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the sale of nearly $2 million in Equifax securities held by high-level Equifax executives shortly after the company learned of the massive cybersecurity breach. According to the New York Times, Equifax “increased its estimate on the number of Americans whose personal information was potentially exposed to 145.5 million, some 2.5 million more than it had previously disclosed.”

    Wednesday, October 4, 2017

    Brown Says Wells Fargo Has Not Done Enough to Earn Back Customer Trust

    U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) – ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs – demanded answers from Wells Fargo CEO Timothy Sloan today about the company’s failure to detect millions of fraudulent accounts opened in customers’ names, as well as the company’s practice of forcing unwanted insurance on auto loan borrowers.

    Brown cited multiple examples that demonstrate Wells Fargo has failed to institute significant changes in order to earn back customer trust. Wells Fargo only recently disclosed that the number of fraudulent accounts was 70 percent higher than it originally reported. And, while Wells Fargo told Congress the problems were limited to its community bank, the auto loan division stuck 800,000 customers with auto insurance policies without the customers’ consent.

    Brown pressed Sloan on Wells Fargo’s use of so-called forced arbitration clauses to block customers from seeking justice in the court system. While Wells Fargo has insisted it is no longer using forced arbitration clauses to cover fake accounts, Brown pointed to a case in Utah within the last three weeks.

    Brown pointed out that forced arbitration favors banks, putting customers at a disadvantage when seeking justice. In fact, despite the fact that Wells Fargo opened 3.5 million fraudulent accounts between 2009 and 2017, the bank was awarded more money through arbitration than it was required to pay to customers during that time, according to publicly available data. The average customer involved in an arbitration case with Wells Fargo ended up being ordered to pay the bank $11,000.

    Brown also said that because the arbitration proceedings are private, they allow fraud that may have otherwise been brought to light through the court system to continue in secret.

    “Forced arbitration always gives the advantage to the bank, and you are continuing to use forced arbitration to take advantage of your customers. Why should we believe you are committed to changing your practices and being fair to customers when you continue to use closed-door arbitration practices that deny customers their day in court?” Brown questioned Sloan.

    As the CEO side-stepped Brown’s question, the Senator interrupted, “Give customers their day in court.”

    Click here for production-quality video of Brown’s questions.


    Brown is leading legislation in the Senate that would give defrauded Wells Fargo customers their day in court. Brown has also championed a rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that would bar banks, payday lenders and other financial institutions from using forced arbitration to block customers from accessing the court system. In July, the House of Representatives voted to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rule. Brown vowed a ‘hell of a fight’ against Congressional efforts to roll back the rule.

    Sunday, September 3, 2017

    Wells Fargo May Have Lied to Congress, Say 33 Groups led by AFR and Public Citizen

    Source: Americans for Financial Reform

    Washington, D.C. - September 3, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congress must hold additional hearings to investigate whether Wells Fargo deliberately misled federal lawmakers during an active investigation, said 33 groups led by Public Citizen and Americans for Financial Reform in a letter (PDF) sent today to the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Services Committee. The groups suggest that Wells Fargo executives, including former CEO John Stumpf, may have knowingly and deliberately withheld information related to fraudulent insurance sales practices during congressional hearings held in September 2016.

    According to the bank’s own timeline, Wells Fargo learned in July 2016 that more than 800,000 customers had been charged for auto insurance they did not need, and the bank says it ended the activity around the same time that Stumpf testified before the two banking committees about Wells Fargo’s fraudulent accounts scandal. Yet Stumpf’s testimony made no mention of this misconduct, even when he was asked directly whether fraudulent activity might exist in other business lines. The bank later reiterated his denial in written responses to questions from members of Congress.

    Withholding relevant information from a congressional inquiry is a criminal offense, punishable by up to five years in prison. The letter calls on the two committees to hold further hearings to investigate Wells Fargo’s newly disclosed abuses and whether the bank lied to Congress.

    “Wells Fargo had several opportunities to disclose its fraudulent insurance practices to Congress and chose not to – including in response to direct questions by Members on the two separate occasions,” the letter to the committees reads. “The information on additional abuses that has become public since the earlier hearings makes a strong case for further investigation and additional hearings by your Committees. It also suggests that the bank may have misled your Committees in previous testimony and withheld relevant information in responses to members’ questions for the record.”

    “Wells Fargo has long forced defrauded consumers into arbitration to hide its misconduct from public view, but lying to Congress would cross a new line,” said Amanda Werner, arbitration campaign manager for Public Citizen and Americans for Financial Reform. “Having just admitted to nearly twice as many fake accounts as previously reported, Wells Fargo has a lot to answer for.”

    “Wells Fargo used forced arbitration clauses and class-action bans to hide abuses and prevent its customers from securing justice or even realizing that problems the bank causes them are widespread,” said Lisa Donner, executive director of Americans for Financial Reform. “It now appears that they have also tried to hide the breadth of problems inside the bank, even in the face of direct questions from members of Congress. Leaders of the relevant committees should be demanding answers and further hearings to get them.”

    “Wells Fargo has spent tens of millions on campaign contributions and lobbying Congress,” said Lisa Gilbert, vice president of legislative affairs for Public Citizen. “If the House and Senate banking committees refuse to investigate Wells Fargo after these latest revelations, it will be a clear indication that Congress is siding with big banks instead of their victims.”

    Read the letter (PDF).

    Thursday, April 6, 2017

    Banking and Finance


    Senators Cantwell, Warren, McCain, and King introduce 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act
    Senator Maria Cantwell - (D - WA)
    April 6, 2017

    U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John McCain (R-AZ), and Angus King (I-ME) introduced the 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act, a modern version of the Banking Act of 1933 (Glass-Steagall) that reduces risk for the American taxpayer in the financial system and decreases the likelihood of future financial crises.
    Read more...

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