On November 15, 2018, in response to a November 7, 2018 letter from Republican Senators, FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams announced that the FDIC has engaged outside counsel to investigate the Obama-era Operation Choke Point, under which the FDIC and other government agencies pressured banks not to do business with payday lenders.… Continue Reading

Among the more than 20 bills that the House Financial Services Committee is scheduled to mark-up this Wednesday, October 11, is a bill to provide a “Madden fix” as well as several others relevant to consumer financial services providers.

These bills are the following:

  • H.R. 3299, “Protecting Consumers’ Access to Credit Act of 2017. 
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Six Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee, including Chairman Jeb Hensarling, have sent identical letters to the CFPB, OCC, Fed and NCUA asking each agency to “publicly disclaim [its] past, present, and future involvement in Operation Choke Point or any similar operation.”

The letters reference the statement issued by the FDIC in January 2015 in which the FDIC eased its stance on bank relationships with businesses targeted by “Operation Choke Point,” the coordinated federal multiagency enforcement initiative targeting banks serving online payday lenders and other companies that have raised regulatory or “reputational” concerns. … Continue Reading

Director Cordray’s remarks to the Clearing House yesterday should unsettle bankers and payday lenders alike. In his talk, Director Cordray challenged bankers to bow to the inevitable. He suggested that sooner, rather than later, the industry should invest the billions of dollars required to build a payment system with “faster and even real-time payments” where “the interests of consumers remain at the top of [bankers’] minds.”… Continue Reading

Two House committees have scheduled hearings this week on “Operation Choke Point,” the coordinated federal multiagency enforcement initiative targeting banks serving online payday lenders and other companies that have raised regulatory concerns. 

Tomorrow, July 15, the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing entitled “The Department of Justice’s ‘Operation Choke Point.'” … Continue Reading