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Proposed "Operating Vision" released for the U.S. Faster Payment Council
On April 24, the Governance Framework Formation Team (GFFT), through the Federal Reserve Board’s Faster Payments Task Force, announced a proposed "Operating Vision" for a new organization known as the U.S. Faster Payments Council (FPC). According to the Operating Vision, “[t]he goal is a ubiquitous, world-class payment system in 2020 where Americans can safely and securely pay anyone, anywhere, at any time and with immediate funds availability.” To achieve this goal, the FPC will focus on (i) facilitating interoperability to enable payments and information to move seamlessly, and (ii) broad adoption of faster payment solutions. The FCP’s core functions will be consensus-driven problem solving, forums for dialogue, and education and advocacy.
Membership of the FPC will be open to all stakeholders. The GFFT is requesting comments on the proposal by June 22.
5th Circuit will hear CFPB constitutionality challenge
On April 24, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit agreed to hear a challenge by two Mississippi-based payday loan and check cashing companies to the constitutionality of the CFPB’s single-director structure. The CFPB filed a complaint against the two companies in May 2016 alleging violations of the Consumer Financial Protection Act for practices related to the companies’ check cashing and payday lending services, previously covered by InfoBytes here. The district court denied the companies’ motion for judgment on the pleadings, rejecting their arguments that the structure of the CFPB is unconstitutional and that the CFPB’s claims violate due process. However, the district court granted the companies’ motion to certify an interlocutory appeal as to the question of the constitutionality of the CFPB’s structure, referencing the D.C. Circuit’s decision in PHH Corp. v. CFPB, (covered by a Buckley Sandler Special Alert here), and noting the “substantial ground for difference of opinion as to this issue as exhibited by the differences of opinion amongst the jurists in the [D.C. Circuit] who have considered this issue.” The district court emphasized that the question is a “controlling question of law” that the 5th Circuit has yet to decide and, if the CFPB were determined to be an unconstitutional entity, this would materially advance the underlying action’s termination. A panel of the 5th Circuit has now granted the companies’ motion for leave to appeal from the interlocutory order on the issue of the constitutionality of the CFPB’s structure.
Senate confirms full slate of FTC commissioners
On April 26, the Senate confirmed Joseph Simons to lead the FTC, along with four other nominees—Republicans Noah Phillips and Christine Wilson and Democrats Rohit Chopra and Rebecca Slaughter. The FTC, which has been operating with only two commissioners, will now be headed by a full complement of commissioners. Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen released a statement saying she looks forward to welcoming them to the FTC and noted that Ms. Wilson will take her seat once Acting Chairman Ohlhausen is confirmed as a judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
OCC announces enforcement actions targeting BSA/AML compliance deficiencies
On April 19, the OCC released a list of recent enforcement actions taken against national banks, federal savings associations, and individuals currently and formerly affiliated with such entities. The new enforcement actions include cease and desist orders, civil money penalty orders, and removal/prohibition orders. The consent orders described below were among those in the OCC’s list:
Cease and Desist Consent Order. On February 28, the OCC issued a consent order against a Washington-based bank for deficiencies related to its Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) compliance program. Among other things, the consent order requires the bank to (i) maintain a Compliance Committee consisting of at least three board members; (ii) develop and implement an ongoing BSA/AML risk assessment program; (iii) create and implement BSA internal controls to mitigate risks; (iv) develop and implement policies and procedures for an automated suspicious activity monitoring system; (v) conduct a “Look-Back” to determine whether suspicious activity was timely identified and reported by the bank and whether additional SARs should be filed for previously unreported suspicious activity; (vi) adopt an independent third-party audit program to conduct a review of the bank’s BSA/AML compliance program; and (viii) create a comprehensive training program for appropriate bank personnel. The bank has neither admitted nor denied the findings.
Civil Money Penalty Consent Order. On March 3, the OCC issued a consent order (2018 Order) against an officer of a California-based bank for violating consent orders issued in 2010 and 2014 related to deficiencies identified in the bank’s BSA/AML rules and regulations and for violations of 12 C.F.R. § 21.21 (Procedures for Monitoring Bank Secrecy Act Compliance). According to the 2018 Order, the officer, who was responsible for overseeing the bank’s operations department, allegedly engaged in “unsafe or unsound practices”; made false statements to the OCC and advised other bank employees to corroborate the statements; and “failed to take the necessary actions to ensure that the [b]ank corrected the deficiencies. . .” The 2018 Order requires the officer to, among other things, pay a $5,000 civil money penalty, and—under the cease and desist terms—participate in BSA/AML compliance training and refrain from making any BSA/AML staffing decisions. The officer, while agreeing to the terms of the consent order, has not admitted or denied any wrongdoing.
Twenty state Attorneys General oppose bill that would remove attorneys engaged in debt collection litigation from FDCPA purview
On April 19, a coalition of twenty state Attorneys General issued a letter to leaders of Congress expressing opposition to the Practice of Law Technical Clarification Act, HR 5082, which would amend the FDCPA to exclude law firms and attorneys engaged in debt collection-related litigation activities from the scope of the FDCPA. The House Financial Services Committee passed HR 5082 on March 21 with a vote of 35-25. In the letter, the Attorneys General state, “debt collection lawsuits comprise the majority of many state-court dockets” and note numerous actions brought by the CFPB and state Attorneys General against debt collection law firms and attorneys for illegal collection practices. The letter argues that debt collection attorneys should be held accountable when using litigation for improper purposes and that HR 5082 would preclude Attorneys General from using the FDCPA to pursue improper behavior. Additionally, the letter notes, “the FDCPA is the only consumer protection tool available to State Attorneys General in a significant number of jurisdictions where state consumer protection law does not govern the conduct of attorneys.”
House passes measures to address identity theft
On April 18, the House passed H.R. 2905 by a vote of 403-3. The “Justice for Victims of IRS Scams and Identity Theft Act of 2017,” would direct the DOJ and the Treasury Department to submit reports to Congress detailing identity theft prosecutions. The DOJ’s report must contain the number of identity theft cases referred to the agency during the previous five years, along with recommendations for improving fraud deterrence, prevention, and interagency collaboration. The bill would also require Treasury to report on efforts to assist in the prosecution of individuals who fraudulently posed as IRS agents, in addition to trends and resources needed to improve the prosecution of IRS impostors. All reports would be due 120 days after the bill's enactment.
On April 17, the House voted 420-1 to pass H.R. 5192, which would, among other things, require the Social Security Administration to provide a database for financial institutions to validate fraud protection data (an individual’s name, social security number, and date of birth) when attempting to “reduce the prevalence of synthetic identity fraud.” In particular, H.R 5192 is designed to protect the needs of vulnerable consumers, including minors and recent immigrants, and limits inquiries to those with a permissible purpose in accordance with section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Further, prior to submitting a verification request, a financial institution must receive electronic consumer consent.
CFPB and OCC fine national bank $1 billion for mortgage and auto lending practices
On April 20, the CFPB, in coordination with the OCC, announced a $1 billion settlement with a national bank for certain auto and mortgage lending practices the bank had previously discontinued and for which voluntary consumer remediation was initiated by the bank. According to the CFPB consent order, the Bureau alleged the bank inappropriately (i) charged fees for mortgage rate-lock extensions, and (ii) operated a force-placed insurance program in connection with auto loans. Specifically, the CFPB alleged that the bank sometimes charged rate lock extension fees to consumers when it should have absorbed the fees. With respect to auto loans, the Bureau alleged that, due to issues with the vendor employed to monitor for insurance and issue insurance if not maintained by the consumer, certain consumers paid for force-placed insurance premiums and interest that may not have been required resulting in potential consumer harm. The CFPB consent order acknowledges that the bank voluntarily discontinued the above practices and has voluntarily begun consumer remediation. Under the terms of both of the consent orders, the bank will remediate affected consumers and will implement necessary changes to its compliance risk-management program.
Quarles testifies before House Financial Services Committee
On April 17, Vice Chairman for Supervision of the Federal Reserve Board, Randal Quarles, testified at a hearing with the House Financial Services Committee entitled “Semi-Annual Testimony on the Federal Reserve’s Supervision and Regulation of the Financial System.” Quarles’ prepared testimony covered (i) the current condition of U.S. bank institutions; (ii) the Fed’s supervisory and regulatory agenda; and (iii) the Fed’s engagement with foreign regulators. During the hearing, Quarles emphasized transparency and simplicity, specifically highlighting the Fed’s recent proposed changes to the capital rules for large banks (previously covered by InfoBytes here). With regard to the global systemically important banks (GSIB) surcharge, Quarles responded to committee member concerns that the surcharge calculation may be seen as a penalty based on a growing economy and acknowledged that the Fed will look into the calculation with respect to those concerns. However, Quarles also emphasized that, “it is generally accepted that [the calculation] has resulted in improvement in the resolvability of the firms.” With regard to the Volker Rule, Quarles stated it is “unarguable” that the rule is detrimental to capital markets, and while the rule cannot be repealed by the Board because of statutory limitations, “there is a lot that [the Fed] can do to increase the certainty of application, to reduce the burden of application.” As previously covered by InfoBytes, the House passed a bill granting the Federal Reserve exclusive authority to implement the Volker Rule (currently the Fed, the OCC, the FDIC, the SEC, and the CFTC share rulemaking authority under the Rule). Quarles also discussed the Treasury Department’s recommendations (previously covered by InfoBytes here) to regulators regarding suggestions to modernize the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), calling the CRA “a little formulaic and ossified,” commending Treasury’s efforts to review the CRA, and stating that regulators should “think about ways to apply [the CRA] more effectively.”
Senate votes to block CFPB’s 2013 indirect auto guidance
On April 18, the Senate voted to strike down, under the Congressional Review Act, the CFPB’s Bulletin 2013-02 (Bulletin) on indirect auto lending and compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). The vote follows a December 2017 letter issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa) stating that the Bulletin is a “general statement of policy and a rule” that is subject to override under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). As previously covered by InfoBytes, GAO reasoned that the CRA’s definition of a “rule” includes both traditional rules, which typically require notice to the public and an opportunity to comment, and general statements of policy, which do not. GAO concluded that the Bulletin meets this definition “since it applies to all indirect auto lenders; it has future effect; and it is designed to prescribe the Bureau’s policy in enforcing fair lending laws.” The measure has been sent to the House and is expected to be voted on soon. On April 17, the White House issued a Statement of Administrative Policy which supported the Senate resolution nullifying the guidance, stating that if the resolution were to be presented to the president, his advisors would recommend he sign it. If the measure is successful, this would be the first time that Congress has used the CRA to repeal a regulatory issuance outside the statute’s general 60-day period.
House passes bipartisan bill granting Federal Reserve exclusive authority to implement Volcker Rule
On April 13, the House passed H.R. 4790, the “Volcker Rule Regulatory Harmonization Act,” by a vote of 300-104. The bipartisan bill designates the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) as the exclusive regulatory authority to implement and amend rules under Section 13(b) of the Bank Holding Company Act. (Currently the Fed, the OCC, the FDIC, the SEC, and the CFTC share rulemaking authority under the rule.) H.R. 4790 also provides clear exemptions for banking entities with $10 billion or less in consolidated assets or those comprised of five percent or less of trading assets and liabilities. A similar exemption is included in the bipartisan Senate financial regulatory reform bill, S.2155, which passed the Senate in March (previously covered by InfoBytes here). According to a press release issued by the House Financial Services Committee, while H.R. 4790 does not repeal the Volcker Rule—which restricts banking entities from engaging in proprietary trading or entering into certain relationships with hedge and private equity funds—it does create a streamlined, efficient framework to provide increased regulatory clarity for entities required to comply with the rule.