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Financial Services Law Insights and Observations

Senator Brown objects to Bureau’s SEFL reorganization proposal

Federal Issues CFPB Supervision Enforcement

Federal Issues

On October 21, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) asked CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger to delay the implementation of a proposed reorganization of the Bureau’s Division of Supervision, Enforcement, and Fair Lending (SEFL) until after the election and a determination is made as to whether Kraninger will continue as Director. According to Brown, the proposed SEFL reorganization would remove the Office of Enforcement’s (Enforcement) “voice and role in critical SEFL decisionmaking processes,” and “introduces inefficiency and confusion.” Brown addressed several concerns, including that the proposed reorganization would (i) disband Enforcement’s Policy and Strategy Team, whose duties include determining overall priorities and strategies; (ii) strip “Enforcement of its seat at the table and vote to determine whether potential violations of federal consumer financial law should be resolved through supervisory examinations or through an enforcement action”; (iii) strip “Enforcement of its authority to open new research matters (precursors to investigations) or new investigations of potential violations of federal consumer financial laws”; (iv) strip “Enforcement of its E-Litigation Team, which provides specialized technology expertise and manages electronic data discovery from initial Enforcement investigations through trial”; and (v) strip “Enforcement of its representation in the ‘Clearance’ process, which will exclude Enforcement from sharing its views and potential concerns with other Bureau offices regarding proposed rules, regulations, guidance, advisory opinions, or other public Bureau statements.” Brown cautioned that while establishing a “consistent and unified SEFL approach to policy and strategic planning” may have merit, the manner in which this objective is achieved must be addressed.