B. Graves Lee

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On March 31, 2021, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) rescinded a range of policy statements issued under the leadership of former Director Kathleen L. Kraninger.  These rescissions concerned one policy statement governing communications between institutions subject to CFPB supervision and their examiners, and seven policy statements issued during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide regulatory…

On April 22, 2021, the Federal Reserve Board, FDIC, and OCC (the “agencies”) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would require banks that file tax returns as part of a consolidated tax filing group to enter into income tax allocation agreements with their parent companies and other members of the consolidated group that join in the filing, and would set forth specific requirements for the contents of those agreements.  The proposal would apply to all insured depository institutions and OCC-chartered uninsured institutions that are not registered as Subchapter S corporations (collectively, “covered institutions”).
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Continue Reading Federal Banking Regulators Issue Proposal on Income Tax Allocation Agreements

On March 11, 2021, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB” or “Bureau”) announced it was rescinding its “Statement of Policy Regarding Prohibition on Abusive Acts or Practices” (the “2020 Policy Statement”).  The rescission is the latest in a series of actions under Acting Director David Uejio that demonstrate a recalibration in the Bureau’s regulatory…

At an open meeting on October 15, 2020, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC” or the “Commission”) voted to adopt three final rules.  First, the Commission adopted by a 3–2 vote a final rule overhauling its regulatory framework governing speculative position limits on a large variety of commodities.  Second, the Commission unanimously approved amendments to margin requirements for uncleared swaps for swap dealers and major swap participants.  Third, the Commission unanimously voted to finalize amendments to Regulation 3.10(c), which sets forth exemptions from registration for certain foreign intermediaries.
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Continue Reading CFTC Approves Three Final Rules at Open Meeting

On May 20, 2020, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”) issued a final rule overhauling its regulations implementing the Community Reinvestment Act (the “CRA”).  The CRA, enacted in 1977, incentivizes banks to meet the credit needs of their entire communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.  The final rule makes the first…

On March 31, 2020, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (DSIO) announced the release of a targeted, temporary no-action letter aimed at foreign affiliates of futures commission merchants (FCMs).  This relief is meant to ease regulatory burdens in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic.  In short, the relief relaxes restrictions on CFTC registrants’ affiliated foreign brokers by allowing them to address the needs of the registrants’ U.S.-based customers without having to register as introducing brokers.   The CFTC has now issued four waves of no-action relief.  It issued the first two waves on March 17, 2020, and a third wave three days later.
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Continue Reading CFTC Announces Fourth Wave of No-Action Relief in Response to COVID-19

On March 3, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a case centered on the constitutionality of the Bureau’s leadership structure.  A transcript of the argument is available here, and an audio recording is available here.
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Continue Reading U.S. Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Constitutionality of CFPB

On February 26, 2020, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau hosted a symposium titled “Consumer Access to Financial Records.”  Video of the Symposium is available here.  The agenda included discussion among panelists from large financial institutions, fintechs, consumer groups, policy centers, and the CFPB.  Director Kathleen L. Kraninger also delivered brief opening remarks describing the history of regulation of financial data access.

Much of the symposium’s discussion focused on Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which governs consumers’ rights to access their financial data.  While the CFPB has the authority to issue rules interpreting Section 1033, it has not done so (although it has issued non-binding “Consumer Protection Principles” on financial data sharing and aggregation).

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Continue Reading CFPB Hosts Symposium on Consumer Access to Financial Records

On January 8, 2020, Federal Reserve Board (“FRB”) Governor Lael Brainard delivered remarks on the state of Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) reform before an audience at the Urban Institute.  As we summarized in a client alert, last month, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) released a proposed overhaul of the regulations implementing the CRA, which the FRB declined to join.  While Governor Brainard’s speech made clear that she was not speaking on behalf of the FRB, her remarks provided insight into FRB decision-making on CRA reform and possible avenues to consensus among the agencies.
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Continue Reading FRB Governor Brainard Discusses Path Forward on Community Reinvestment Act Reform

On January 7, 2020, the presidential campaign of Senator Elizabeth Warren released a plan to overhaul the consumer bankruptcy system in the United States. The plan would repeal means testing and other provisions of the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act. It would also implement enhanced protections for consumer debtors who file for bankruptcy.

Perhaps most significantly, the plan would abolish the “undue hardship” standard for the discharge of student loans. Under current law, borrowers seeking to discharge student loans must file a separate adversary proceeding alongside their non-adversary bankruptcy case and make a significant showing of hardship. The plan would treat student loans identically to other types of consumer debt, allowing for their discharge without any special showing.…
Continue Reading Warren Proposes Far-Reaching Consumer Bankruptcy Reforms