congressional review act

Earlier this week, a group of consumer advocate organizations filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the CFPB that would prohibit the use of pre-dispute arbitration clauses in consumer contracts in favor of arbitration clauses that would permit consumers to choose between arbitration and litigation only after a dispute has arisen. There are numerous compelling reasons why the CFPB should not engage in such rulemaking.… Continue Reading

In Wednesday’s edition of Consumer Law & Policy Blog, Professor Jeff Sovern laments that during Director Rohit Chopra’s recent testimony before the Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Services Committee, neither he nor any member of the Committees mentioned “arbitration” as an action item on the CFPB’s agenda. Professor Sovern expresses hope that the arbitration issue will nevertheless appear on the CFPB’s regulatory agenda when it is soon published.… Continue Reading

A memorandum issued by the Office of Management and Budget entitled “Guidance on Compliance with the Congressional Review Act” imposes a new review process on final rules issued by the CFPB and other independent regulatory agencies such as the Federal Reserve, the FCC, the FDIC, the FTC, and the OCC.  The new process will take effect on May 11, 2019.… Continue Reading

Yesterday afternoon, President Trump signed into law S.J. Res. 57, the joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) that disapproves the CFPB’s Bulletin 2013-2 regarding “Indirect Auto Lending and Compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.”  The Government Accountability Office had determined that the Bulletin, which set forth the CFPB’s disparate impact theory of assignee liability for so-called auto dealer “markup” disparities, was a “rule” subject to override under the CRA.… Continue Reading

We previously reported that Congress might have the opportunity to disapprove the CFPB’s disparate impact theory of assignee liability for so-called auto dealer “markup” disparities because the CFPB Bulletin describing its theory was determined by the General Accountability Office (GAO) to be a “rule” subject to override under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). … Continue Reading

Politico has reported that Republican Senator Jerry Moran has introduced a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the CFPB’s 2013 auto finance guidance.

The guidance is set forth in CFPB Bulletin 2013-02, titled “Indirect Auto Lending and Compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act” (Bulletin).  In December 2017, in response to a request from Senator Pat Toomey, the GAO issued a decision concluding that the Bulletin is a “rule” subject to the CRA.… Continue Reading

The American Banker has reported that last week, Senator Lindsey Graham introduced a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to override the CFPB’s final payday/auto title/high-rate installment loan rule (Payday Rule).  The CRA is the vehicle used by Congress to overturn the CFPB’s arbitration rule in a party-line vote.… Continue Reading

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act to override the CFPB’s final payday/auto title/high-rate installment loan rule.  House members sponsoring the bill consist of three Democrats and three Republicans.  The CRA is the vehicle used by Congress to overturn the CFPB’s arbitration rule.… Continue Reading

Two weeks after President Trump signed H.J. Res. 111, the joint resolution passed by the House and Senate disapproving the CFPB arbitration rule, the CFPB has formally acknowledged Congress’ override of the rule under the Congressional Review Act.  The following notice is now posted at the head of the section of the CFPB’s website dealing with the arbitration rule:

“On Nov.… Continue Reading

CFPB Director Richard Cordray yesterday sent a letter to President Trump asking him to uphold the Bureau’s arbitration rule even though the Senate recently joined the House in authorizing a repeal of the rule under the Congressional Review Act.

Director Cordray’s letter states that without the arbitration rule, military service members will “get cheated out of their hard-earned money and be left helpless to fight back.”   … Continue Reading