Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
VoteVets Action Fund Launches $250k Ad Campaign Targeting Derrick Van Orden's Support for War in Iran as Prices Skyrocket
PORTLAND, Oregon, April 2 -- VoteVets issued the following news release on April 1, 2026:
* * *
VoteVets Action Fund Launches $250k Ad Campaign Targeting Derrick Van Orden's Support for War in Iran as Prices Skyrocket
This is the first time this year VoteVets has targeted a Republican Veteran member of Congress
*
Today, VoteVets Action Fund is launching a $250k ad campaign calling out Congressman and Navy Veteran Derrick Van Orden over his support for the war in Iran as prices at home skyrocket. With Members of Congress home for a two-week recess, and gas prices hitting $4 a gallon, we're
... Show Full Article
PORTLAND, Oregon, April 2 -- VoteVets issued the following news release on April 1, 2026:
* * *
VoteVets Action Fund Launches $250k Ad Campaign Targeting Derrick Van Orden's Support for War in Iran as Prices Skyrocket
This is the first time this year VoteVets has targeted a Republican Veteran member of Congress
*
Today, VoteVets Action Fund is launching a $250k ad campaign calling out Congressman and Navy Veteran Derrick Van Orden over his support for the war in Iran as prices at home skyrocket. With Members of Congress home for a two-week recess, and gas prices hitting $4 a gallon, we'reurging constituents to call Van Orden and demand he vote "no" on the $200 Billion Iran War Supplemental" requested by the Administration and being considered in Congress.
This is a substantial media plan to engage Van Orden's constituents, and particularly, patriots who support defending our country - many of whom wore the uniform themselves - but do not believe this war is warranted or is being carried out with clear goals. Our media plan integrates all popular platforms to reach and engage people who don't naturally seek out political news.
Starting today, we're running ads during NCAA games and other live sports events, on broadcast, radio, digital audio, streaming services like Hulu, YouTube, ESPN, etc, Meta social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, and we're also delivering our message during the most popular podcasts in the market.
Additional ads targeting other Republican Veterans in Congress to follow.
TRANSCRIPT:
"Look at that gas pump. We're paying the cost every damn day for this war in Iran. But for Congressman Van Orden, we're not paying enough. He's going for another $200 billion to spend on Iran. This is the same guy who backed big cuts to VA care for vets. Look, vets like me, we understand the cost of war. But if we don't have the money to take care of our veterans, we damn sure can't afford another war. Call Van Orden on it."
* * *
Original text here: https://votevets.org/press-releases/votevets-action-fund-launches-250k-ad-campaign-targeting-derrick-van-ordens-support-for-war-in-iran-as-prices-skyrocket
[Category: Political]
UPMC Children's Hospital Opens New, Expanded Pediatric Cardiology Clinic at Pine Center in Wexford
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, April 2 -- The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center issued the following news release:
* * *
UPMC Children's Hospital Opens New, Expanded Pediatric Cardiology Clinic at Pine Center in Wexford
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh has opened a new and expanded pediatric cardiology clinic at Children's Pine Center in Wexford, significantly increasing access to specialized heart care for children and families across the region.
The new clinic will bring together UPMC Children's pediatric cardiology services currently offered at Children's North while expanding capacity
... Show Full Article
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, April 2 -- The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center issued the following news release:
* * *
UPMC Children's Hospital Opens New, Expanded Pediatric Cardiology Clinic at Pine Center in Wexford
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh has opened a new and expanded pediatric cardiology clinic at Children's Pine Center in Wexford, significantly increasing access to specialized heart care for children and families across the region.
The new clinic will bring together UPMC Children's pediatric cardiology services currently offered at Children's North while expanding capacityto serve additional patients following the acquisition of the pediatric cardiology practice of Prapti Kanani, M.D.
The pediatric cardiology staff currently supporting patients at Children's North will relocate to Pine Center, along with two additional staff members from Dr. Kanani's practice, ensuring continuity and familiarity for patients and families. To support the increased patient volume, UPMC Children's has also expanded its care team, adding several staff members and hiring additional pediatric cardiologists.
"The new clinic represents a meaningful investment in the future of congenital heart care in our region," said Diane Hupp, president, UPMC Children's Hospital. "By bringing together our existing team and welcoming new patients from a trusted community practice, we are expanding access while preserving the continuity and high-quality care families expect from UPMC Children's."
The clinic at Pine Center will be open Monday through Friday, providing comprehensive diagnostic and follow-up cardiology services. The clinic will also include appointments for both fetal and adult congenital heart disease, all in a convenient facility tailored to accommodate the needs of expanding families.
The new clinic is part of UPMC Children's broader investment in advancing pediatric heart care, including the opening of the new UPMC Children's Heart Institute in Lawrenceville in June. The state-of-the-art facility will bring together specialized clinical care, advanced technology, and collaborative expertise in a purpose-built space designed to support patients and families at every stage of their heart care journey. This investment also builds on the continued growth of UPMC Children's Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, which provides coordinated, lifelong care for patients as they transition from pediatric to adult services, further strengthening access to comprehensive, world-class heart care across the region.
For more information about Pediatric Cardiology services at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, visit www.chp.edu.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.upmc.com/media/news/040126-childrens-cardiology-wexford
[Category: Health Care]
New Jersey LCV Applauds DEP and Tidelands Resource Council for Subjecting Dangerous NESE Pipeline Permit to Increased Scrutiny
TRENTON, New Jersey, April 2 -- New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, an organization that says it works to elect environmentally responsible candidates to state and local offices, issued the following news release on April 1, 2026:
* * *
New Jersey LCV Applauds DEP and Tidelands Resource Council for Subjecting Dangerous NESE Pipeline Permit to Increased Scrutiny
Today, New Jersey LCV celebrated a significant victory for public health and the environment as the New Jersey Tidelands Resource Council canceled a meeting that would have addressed a final utility license for the NESE pipeline.
... Show Full Article
TRENTON, New Jersey, April 2 -- New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, an organization that says it works to elect environmentally responsible candidates to state and local offices, issued the following news release on April 1, 2026:
* * *
New Jersey LCV Applauds DEP and Tidelands Resource Council for Subjecting Dangerous NESE Pipeline Permit to Increased Scrutiny
Today, New Jersey LCV celebrated a significant victory for public health and the environment as the New Jersey Tidelands Resource Council canceled a meeting that would have addressed a final utility license for the NESE pipeline.This move subjects the construction of the unneeded fossil fuel project to further review.
The NESE pipeline has faced years of opposition due to its potential to disturb toxic sediment in the Raritan Bay, the negative impacts it will have on our air and climate, and the risks to New Jersey's communities.
Allison McLeod, Interim Executive Director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement:
We applaud the Tidelands Resource Council and the NJDEP for listening to the concerns of New Jerseyans and subjecting this dangerous project to further scrutiny. This pipeline is as unnecessary as it is hazardous. It would risk the health and safety of our communities and working families while providing zero benefit to our state, all while threatening our water quality and polluting the air we breathe.
Governor Sherrill promised to be a champion for our health and our wallets, and today's action shows she is delivering. Over the past months, we have seen dozens of local governments and hundreds of residents raise their voices in opposition. We need the administration to continue standing firm against corporate interests that value profits over our communities. By subjecting this project to scrutiny, we are protecting the Raritan Bay and ensuring that New Jersey remains on a path toward a cleaner, more affordable energy future.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.njlcv.org/news/new-jersey-lcv-applauds-dep-and-tidelands-resource-council-subjecting-dangerous-nese-pipeline
[Category: Political]
NTI Experts Address Iran's Nuclear Future
WASHINGTON, April 2 -- The Nuclear Threat Initiative issued the following news:
* * *
NTI Experts Address Iran's Nuclear Future
The 2026 war with Iran has raised urgent questions about the future of the country's nuclear program. On March 26, NTI President and CEO Christine Wormuth sat down with Vice President Scott Roecker and Deputy Vice President Eric Brewer from NTI's Nuclear Materials Security program for a webinar, "Iran's Nuclear Future: Implications of the 2026 War," covering the conflict's ramifications for international security and options to mitigate risks.
The panel painted a stark
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 2 -- The Nuclear Threat Initiative issued the following news:
* * *
NTI Experts Address Iran's Nuclear Future
The 2026 war with Iran has raised urgent questions about the future of the country's nuclear program. On March 26, NTI President and CEO Christine Wormuth sat down with Vice President Scott Roecker and Deputy Vice President Eric Brewer from NTI's Nuclear Materials Security program for a webinar, "Iran's Nuclear Future: Implications of the 2026 War," covering the conflict's ramifications for international security and options to mitigate risks.
The panel painted a starkpicture of what the war may mean for Iran's nuclear program, the risks of proliferation, and the wider nonproliferation regime. "There is a real need to make sure that when the shooting stops, the elements of the Iranian nuclear program are secured and are not getting loose and falling into the hands of unknown actors," Wormuth said.
Brewer explained that military force alone will not end Iran's nuclear plans. "The nuclear program is going to loom large as this conflict proceeds, and as part of any deescalation or resolution, we're going to have to continue to contend with what remains on the ground," he said. Noting that the Islamic Republic will likely remain in power, Wormuth cautioned, "There are a lot of reasons to believe that the regime coming out the other side of this may have more incentives to covertly race for the bomb."
With the fog of war making it difficult to understand the facts on the ground and predict how the conflict will unfold, the discussion focused on analyzing potential scenarios and identifying actions to prevent catastrophe. These included a U.S. operation to retrieve nuclear material, the IAEA's role in Iran, and the post-war political dynamic between Washington and Tehran. The panelists agreed that the stakes are high and the answers will not come easily. "Things aren't going to get easier once the military strikes end," Roecker said. "What happens next is going to be incredibly important."
* * *
Original text here: https://www.nti.org/news/nti-experts-address-irans-nuclear-future/
[Category: National Defense]
Human Rights First and RAICES Release New Report Exposing Systemic Due Process Violations and Cruelty at Dilley ICE Family Prison
WASHINGTON, April 2 (TNSrpt) -- Human Rights First issued the following news on April 1, 2026:
* * *
Human Rights First and RAICES Release New Report Exposing Systemic Due Process Violations and Cruelty at Dilley ICE Family Prison
Human Rights First and RAICES today released a new joint report, "A New Era of ICE Family Prisons," exposing the pervasive abuses against families and children in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with particular focus on the experiences of those detained at the reopened Dilley Processing Center in Dilley, Texas ("Dilley"). The report finds
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 2 (TNSrpt) -- Human Rights First issued the following news on April 1, 2026:
* * *
Human Rights First and RAICES Release New Report Exposing Systemic Due Process Violations and Cruelty at Dilley ICE Family Prison
Human Rights First and RAICES today released a new joint report, "A New Era of ICE Family Prisons," exposing the pervasive abuses against families and children in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with particular focus on the experiences of those detained at the reopened Dilley Processing Center in Dilley, Texas ("Dilley"). The report findsthat more than 5,600 people, including parents, children, toddlers, and newborn babies, have been imprisoned at Dilley between April 2025 and February 2026. It exposes widespread due process violations, inhumane conditions, and lasting physical and psychological harm inflicted on families incarcerated at Dilley.
Drawing on interviews with 50 impacted families and legal service providers, legal service provision, and desk research, the report finds that families are routinely detained for months in violation of court limits, subjected to coercive threats of separation, and denied meaningful access to asylum protections. Children face unsafe and degrading conditions, including inadequate medical care, limited access to education, and environments that severely undermine their health and development.
"Our findings make it clear that there is absolutely no rights-respecting or safe way for DHS to incarcerate families and children," said Senior Director of Refugee Advocacy at Human Rights First, Robyn Barnard. "We spoke with a mother from Colombia whose five-year-old son was told by guards repeatedly that if he didn't listen to his mother, he could be taken away and given to another family. A breastfeeding mother from Haiti was detained and separated from her U.S. citizen baby for over 100 days, with no way to provide the milk her child depends on. An ICE officer tried to coerce a 17-year-old girl from Azerbaijan to self-deport by threatening to separate her from her family when she turned 18. This horror cannot continue. What we are seeing at Dilley is unfathomably cruel and an assault on the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of children and their parents."
"The systemic neglect, denial of due process, and state-sanctioned harm under the Trump administration constitute a humanitarian crisis for immigrant children and their families," said Faisal Al-Juburi, Co-CEO at RAICES. "As the only legal aid provider in Dilley every week, RAICES' attorneys and advocates directly witness the trauma in detention. We see firsthand how this system deliberately strips people of their dignity, regardless of age. Sworn declarations from dozens of families detail government misconduct, human rights violations, and the mental and physical harm inflicted, particularly on children. We hope these powerful stories will spur action to end family detention permanently."
Key Findings from the report include:
* Families are routinely threatened with or subjected to separation to coerce them into abandoning asylum claims.
* Detention regularly exceeds the 20-day legal limit, with many families held for months.
* Families face serious due process violations, including limited access to legal counsel and information.
* Many are deported without a meaningful opportunity to seek protection, raising concerns under U.S. and international law.
* Conditions are unsafe and degrading, with inadequate access to food, water, personal hygiene, and basic care, particularly harming children.
* Detention worsens physical and mental health, interrupts medical treatment, and causes lasting trauma.
* Pregnant individuals face inadequate prenatal care and unsafe medical practices, putting them and their unborn babies at risk.
Our organizations are calling on the U.S. government to shut down the Dilley prison and end the policy of detaining families. We urge the U.S. government to invest in humane, community-based alternatives that respect the rights and dignity of families seeking protection.
To learn more, join Human Rights First, RAICES, and Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) for a webinar on our findings this Thursday, April 2 at 12 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. CT. Register here (https://humanrightsfirst.org/events/joint-report-briefing-a-new-era-of-family-prisons/) to attend.
* * *
REPORT: https://humanrightsfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/New_Era_ICE_Family_Prisons_April-1-2026.pdf
* * *
Original text here: https://humanrightsfirst.org/library/human-rights-first-and-raices-release-new-report-exposing-systemic-due-process-violations-and-cruelty-at-dilley-ice-family-prison/
[Category: Sociological]
CFP Board Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Changes to Fitness Standards, Procedural Rules and Sanction Guidelines
WASHINGTON, April 2 -- The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards issued the following news release:
* * *
CFP Board Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Changes to Fitness Standards, Procedural Rules and Sanction Guidelines
CFP Board is requesting public comment on proposed changes to its, Fitness Standards, Procedural Rules and Sanction Guidelines. This proposal improves CFP Board's existing process for evaluating the ethical fitness of CFP(R) certificants and candidates for CFP(R) certification.
As part of the revision process, CFP Board actively seeks input from various stakeholders,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 2 -- The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards issued the following news release:
* * *
CFP Board Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Changes to Fitness Standards, Procedural Rules and Sanction Guidelines
CFP Board is requesting public comment on proposed changes to its, Fitness Standards, Procedural Rules and Sanction Guidelines. This proposal improves CFP Board's existing process for evaluating the ethical fitness of CFP(R) certificants and candidates for CFP(R) certification.
As part of the revision process, CFP Board actively seeks input from various stakeholders,including practitioners, candidates, firms, membership organizations and the public. The deadline to submit comments (https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8723915/CFP-Board-Procedural-Rules-Public-Comment-Spring-2026) is Thursday, April 30, 2026.
"The integrity of CFP(R) certification is the foundation of CFP Board's mission, and it depends on fair and transparent standards for candidates and CFP(R) professionals," said CEO K. Dane Snowden. "We invite stakeholders to share their perspectives as we work to safeguard consumers and maintain a trusted, clear path to earning and sustaining CFP(R) certification."
Proposed Changes to the Fitness Standards
CFP Board proposes to modify the Fitness Standards so that a candidate with a certain kind of misdemeanor conviction must file a Fitness Petition only when CFP Board's Enforcement Counsel (the attorney who investigates potential misconduct) seeks a public sanction. A public sanction can take the form of a Public Notice, which would alert the public to the candidate's past misconduct, or a temporary or permanent bar prohibiting the candidate from applying for CFP(R) certification. In conducting that evaluation, Enforcement Counsel would rely on professional judgment, the relevant Sanction Guidelines (including mitigating and aggravating factors), and prior Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (DEC) decisions. (The DEC is the peer review body that makes ethics determinations.)
A Fitness Petition involves a more formal process in which the DEC conducts a hearing and issues a written decision, and a vast majority of candidates with these misdemeanor convictions who filed a Petition were granted certification with a private caution. Often, conduct requiring a candidate to file a Petition for Fitness (such as misbehavior during college) occurred many years ago or involves an episode of youthful indiscretion unlikely to have a material bearing on their current ethical fitness. With this change, the DEC, the DEC's legal counsel and Enforcement Counsel would not need to adjudicate Fitness Petitions where the outcome would be a private caution, lowering the volume of Fitness Petitions to a manageable level and enabling the DEC to focus on matters that involve more egregious conduct.
CFP Board also would adopt a new section "D" in the Fitness Standards that consolidates all categories of conduct where a candidate may be directed to file a Fitness Petition, depending on Enforcement Counsel's evaluation. Section "C" would continue to identify those categories of conduct where a candidate must file a Fitness Petition.
Review a redlined copy of the proposed changes to the Fitness Standards (https://www.cfp.net/-/media/files/cfp-board/standards-and-ethics/2026-proposed-revisions/2024-revised-fitness-standards.pdf)
Proposed Changes to Procedural Rules
CFP Board proposes to modify the Procedural Rules so that when a candidate has a "Relevant Misdemeanor" (a defined term) and both the candidate and Enforcement Counsel agree that CFP Board should grant the candidate's Fitness Petition with a Public Notice, Enforcement Counsel would have the discretion to file a joint motion for an order granting the Petition with a Public Notice. In that circumstance, DEC Counsel would grant the motion and the DEC would not hear the Fitness Petition. This language builds upon the approach that CFP Board adopted last year to improve the process for resolving Petitions that involve single bankruptcies and multiple misdemeanor convictions involving a second (or more) alcohol and/or drug-related offense.
As noted above, new section "D" in the Fitness Standards would consolidate all categories of conduct where a candidate may be directed to file a Fitness Petition, depending on Enforcement Counsel's evaluation. Thus, CFP Board would move to the Fitness Standards the language in Article 5.5 and 5.6 of the Procedural Rules that clarifies when a petition is required based on recency of a bankruptcy or multiple alcohol or drug related offenses.
CFP Board also proposes to modify Article 17.1 of the Procedural Rules to enable the Enforcement Team to provide a CFP(R) professional's firm with updates on the status of investigations involving their professionals. This is in response to requests from several firms, through their trade association the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, that CFP Board provide notice to the CFP(R) professional's firm when a CFP(R) professional is under investigation. In addition, CFP Board is proposing a technical revision to clarify when a candidate for CFP(R) certification who files a Fitness Petition may have their fee refunded. Finally, CFP Board is proposing changes that would require an individual seeking reinstatement after a suspension to demonstrate that they would be eligible for certification under the Fitness Standards if they were an applicant for CFP(R) certification.
Review a redlined copy of the proposed changes to the Procedural Rules (https://www.cfp.net/-/media/files/cfp-board/standards-and-ethics/2026-proposed-revisions/cfp-revised-procedural-rules-may-2025.pdf)
Proposed Revisions to the Sanction Guidelines
CFP Board proposes changes to the Sanction Guidelines to clarify that if a CFP(R) professional engages in misconduct that would bar a candidate from obtaining CFP(R) certification, then the DEC may not mitigate (lower) the sanction. The additions apply to three kinds of misconduct -- Lack of Integrity, Forgery Without Authorization and Fraud or Misrepresentation involving Professional Services - for which the sanction guideline is a revocation.
Review a redlined copy of the proposed changes to the Sanction Guidelines (https://www.cfp.net/-/media/files/cfp-board/standards-and-ethics/2026-proposed-revisions/sanction-guidelines.pdf)
Together, the proposed updates to the Fitness Standards, Procedural Rules and Sanction Guidelines refine the standards that determine when a Fitness Petition is required, how Petitions are reviewed and how sanctions are applied. All proposed updates are designed to strengthen the efficiency and consistency of CFP Board's enforcement and certification processes.
CFP Board welcomes all input on the proposed revisions. Comments can be submitted to CFP Board through an online form (https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8723915/CFP-Board-Procedural-Rules-Public-Comment-Spring-2026). CFP Board will post all comments on the CFP.net website with the commenter's name and the date submitted. The deadline for comments is Thursday, April 30, 2026.
CFP Board will review comments and determine what changes, if any, to make to the proposed revised Sanction Guidelines, Fitness Standards and Procedural Rules.
* * *
About CFP Board
CFP Board is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board consists of two affiliated organizations focused on advancing the financial planning profession for the public's benefit. CFP Board of Standards sets and upholds standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(R) certification -- widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planners -- so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning. CFP(R) certification is held by more than 107,000 people in the U.S. CFP Board Center for Financial Planning addresses diversity and workforce development challenges and conducts and publishes research that adds to the financial planning profession's body of knowledge.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cfp.net/news/2026/03/cfp-board-seeks-public-comment-on-proposed-changes
[Category: Financial Services]
Americans for Financial Reform Issues Statement on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Proposed Layoff Plan
WASHINGTON, April 2 [Category: Financial Services] -- Americans for Financial Reform, which describes itself as a nonpartisan and nonprofit coalition of more than 200 civil rights, consumer, labor, business, investor, faith-based and civic and community groups, posted the following statement on April 1,2026, by Associate Director of Consumer Policy Tom Feltner on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposed layoff plan:
* * *
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) leadership, under Trump-appointee Russell Vought, has proposed a new layoff plan as part of its year-long campaign
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 2 [Category: Financial Services] -- Americans for Financial Reform, which describes itself as a nonpartisan and nonprofit coalition of more than 200 civil rights, consumer, labor, business, investor, faith-based and civic and community groups, posted the following statement on April 1,2026, by Associate Director of Consumer Policy Tom Feltner on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposed layoff plan:
* * *
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) leadership, under Trump-appointee Russell Vought, has proposed a new layoff plan as part of its year-long campaignto shutter the agency charged with preventing financial fraud, abuse, and discrimination. The plan would reduce agency staff by over two thirds and sharply curtail its efforts to enforce regulations that prevent financial lawbreakers from taking advantage of everyday people. While this layoff plan is currently blocked by the courts and cannot go into effect immediately, it provides crucial insight into how the CFPB under Acting Director Vought is seeking to rollback financial safeguards even as the financial markets are in turmoil and scams continue to proliferate.
When Acting Director Vought said his goal was to shut down the CFPB by early 2026, we need to take him at his word. This layoff plan retains some core functions, but, absent court review, there is nothing stopping CFPB leadership from firing the remaining staff down the line. Rather than cutting enforcement, supervision, and outreach staff, we should be strengthening the capacity of those offices to hold financial wrongdoers accountable, prevent emerging risks like those that caused the 2008 financial crisis, and prevent the wave of scams making everyone's lives more difficult and more expensive.
About the layoff proposal:
The proposed layoffs will continue the Trump Administration's year-long effort to undermine the work of the CFPB and put consumers at risk of fraud, discrimination, and junk fees by:
1. Advancing a layoff plan that would reduce total staff by 68 percent and decimate its enforcement and supervision staff - these changes would come even as nearly six million people have turned to the CFPB for help in the past year, financial scams continue to increase, and junk fees proliferate.
2. Cancelling work to hold financial lawbreakers accountable and cutting enforcement staff by 80 percent from 2025 authorized levels - CFPB leadership has taken unprecedented steps to withdraw from cases or terminate pending enforcement actions. Of the 56 enforcement actions noted in the plan, the CFPB has resolved only seven and plans to continue just nine actions.
3. Eliminating hundreds of supervision positions responsible for reviewing financial institutions conduct and making sure they comply with the law - CFPB leadership has proposed an 84 percent cut to examination staff, from 463 to just 75. The remaining staff will prioritize depository institutions even as risks associated with non-bank firms like payday lenders, private student loan companies, and auto lenders continue to mount.
4. Abandoning education and outreach efforts to students, young consumers and low-wealth people and communities - CFPB leadership has proposed an 81 percent reduction in staff charged with education and outreach efforts for populations that are often targets for abusive practices. The Office of Servicemember Affairs, the Office of Older Americans, and the Private Student Loan Ombudsman would see substantial layoffs of at least half their current staff. The plan suggests that the Office for Students and Young Consumers and the Office of Community Affairs would be eliminated completely.
CFPB leadership submitted this plan as part of NTEU v. Vought. The lawsuit is one of several brought after CFPB leadership attempted, unsuccessfully, to close the CFPB and layoff over 90 percent of its workforce. The request was made to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and asked the court to modify the stay that is preventing CFPB leadership from continuing its effort to sideline and ultimately shutter the agency.
***
Original text here: https://ourfinancialsecurity.org/news/statement-tom-feltner-associate-director-of-consumer-policy-on-the-consumer-financial-protection-bureaus-new-proposed-layoff-plan/
