The New York Times
Congress Approves First Big Dodd-Frank Rollback
The New York Times cited CEI’s John Berlau on the limitations of current deregulatory reforms in disassembling the Dodd-Frank Act, which burdens consumers, investors, and…
Reason
Congress Just Voted to Repeal a Few Bits of Dodd-Frank
Reason cited John Berlau on the boon to small banks in being able to provide financial relief to Americans that is occuring with deregulation of…
News Release
CEI Commends House Passage of Modest Banking Reforms, Urges Congress to Go Further
Today, the House considered and passed The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act aimed at scaling back a few bad Dodd-Frank bank regulations. CEI Senior Fellow…
Blog
Cut Red Tape So Middle-Class Investors Can Soar with Next Amazon
Today is the 21st anniversary of the initial public offering of a little company called Amazon. Yes, today Amazon is a behemoth, a supposed…
Blog
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Targets True Rights Violations with Wells Fargo Fine
After being attacked repeatedly for supposedly being soft on Wall Street and the “big banks,” Acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Mick Mulvaney was part…
News Release
CFPB $1 Billion Fine Against Wells Fargo Shows Regulator Power in Trump Era
On news today that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Office of the Comptroller of Currency (OCC) will impose a combined fine of $1…
News Release
Senate Votes Down Unfair CFPB Auto Lending Rule
CEI praised the Senate today for voting down the Obama-era Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule that unfairly penalized auto lenders for any unintentional disparate impact…
News Release
SEC to Propose Investor Fiduciary Rule
In the wake of a court ruling against a controversial Obama-era Labor Department rule expanding liability for investment advice, the Securities and Exchange Commission today…
Marketplace Radio
AUDIO: John Berlau Discusses Accountability at the CFPB with American Public Media’s Marketplace
John Berlau, Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, joined American Public Media’s Marketplace, to discuss how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can be…
The Wall Street Journal
Cryptocurrency: Does Fed Want to Imitate Venezuela?
John Berlau writes a letter-to-the-editor to The Wall Street Journal about the dangers of the U.S. government issuing its own digital currency. After Kevin Warsh…
Forbes
Let’s Keep Cryptocurrency Mines Running in Human Achievement Hour & Every Hour
On Saturday, March 24th, from 8:30 to 9:30 PM in their local time zones, some people will turn off their lights as part of an…
Sacramento Bee
Kudlow’s Skills will Keep US Economy Rolling in Fast Lane
Just as baseball season approaches, President Donald Trump hits it out of the park with his appointment of economist Larry Kudlow to head the White…
News Release
Court Rules Against Obama Fiduciary Rule in a Victory for Middle Class Investors
On news that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals late Thursday struck down the Obama Labor Department's controversial fiduciary rule, Competitive Enterprise Institute financial policy…
News Release
CEI Commends Senate for Passing Bipartisan Dodd-Frank Reform Bill
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) commends the U.S. Senate on passage of Sen. Crapo's S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act.
News Release
CEI Commends Trump’s Choice of Larry Kudlow for Top Economic Post
President Trump is expected to name Larry Kudlow as director of the National Economic Council this week. CEI experts commend Trump for selecting an adviser with…
Newsmax
Mulvaney Must End CFPB’s Big Brother Role
Just after Thanksgiving, when the drama of the dueling directors began at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), I told The Washington Examiner that the new…
News Release
Sen. Crapo’s Dodd-Frank Reform Bill: Important, Commonsense Step Toward Relief for Small Banks
This week, the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on Senator Mike Crapo’s bipartisan Dodd-Frank reform bill, “Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act”…
Blog
Implement AEI-Heritage-R Street GSE Plan AND Honor Shareholder Contracts
It is welcome news that our friends from the American Enterprise Institute, Heritage Foundation, and the R Street Institute put forth a plan this week…
The Washington Examiner
CFPB’s ‘NSA-like’ surveillance in limbo with leadership tussle
The Washington Examiner quoted John Berlau in the need for regulatory reform and the need to eliminate the cache of consumer data which the CFPB…
Newsmax
Understand Innovative ‘Blockchain’ Before Condemning It
Since 2018 began, the prices of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies had been tumbling, in large part due to real or perceived threats of crackdowns from…
Valuewalk
Time To End The GSE Conservatorship
When other financial institutions that received TARP funds paid back what they owed to the U.S. Treasury in full, the government relinquished its ownership stake…
News Release
House to Vote on Plan to Cut Red Tape for Small, Fast-Growing Companies
The House is expected to vote Wednesday on a plan to help small companies with big ambitions. The Fostering Innovation Act of 2017 (H.R. 1645)…
News Release
Trump Budget Seeks More Accountability for Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
President Trump’s 2019 budget plan, released today, has some big changes in mind for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), aiming to bring much-needed accountability and…
Blog
SEC Chairman Jay Clayton’s Comments on Cryptocurrencies Are Cause for Concern
Recent comments by SEC Chairman Jay Claytonmay signal an increasingly heavy-handed regulatory approach toward cryptocurrencies. Such an approach could curb innovation and prove counterproductive in fighting…
Newsmax
Stop Stealth Capital Gains Tax Hike in Senate Bill
It’s crunch time on tax reform. The House passed a bill just before Thanksgiving. Now it’s the Senate’s turn. A good tax reform bill would…
Newsmax
Dear President Trump, Please Fire CFPB’s Cordray — Now
On Oct. 30, 2017 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Richard Cordray released a letter to President Donald Trump in which Cordray urged the…
The American Spectator
Good Riddance to Finance Regulator Richard Cordray
Blog
Trump Should Boost Bipartisan Access-to-Capital Bill in SOTU
If President Trump really wants to strike a note of bipartisanship in his State of the Union address, as well as promote measures to build…
Bloomberg
Business Groups Attack ‘America First’ Merger Review Bill
Breitbart
Potential Nomination of McWatters to Head Up the CFPB Hits a Rough Patch
Breitbart discusses possible Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) nominee Mark McWatters with John Berlau. The potential nomination of National Credit Union Adminstration Chairman (NCUA)…
News Release
House Financial Reform Plans Show Lawmakers Recognize Problems Caused by CFPB
This week, the House Financial Services Committee approved 15 bills on regulatory relief for community financial institutions, investment opportunities, access to financing for home buyers,…
One America News
VIDEO: John Berlau Discusses CFPB Slush Fund on One America News
One America News discusses Mick Mulvaney’s attempts to stop the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s slush fund with John Berlau. Watch the full…
Blog
End CFPB’s Collection of Americans’ Financial Data
Last week, when the drama of the dueling directors began at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), I told The Washington Examiner that the…
News Release
Report: Dodd-Frank Volcker Rule Punishes Main Street
Banking restrictions imposed by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law have caused big problems for banks nationwide, a new report from the Competitive Enterprise Institute…
Study
The Case against the Volcker Rule
View Full Document as PDF The 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has severely restricted business and consumer access…
Blog
Senate Bill’s Stealth FIFO Capital Gains Hike Hinders Tax Reform
It’s crunch time on tax reform! The House passed a bill just before Thanksgiving. Now it’s the Senate’s turn. A good tax reform bill would…
The Washington Examiner
CFPB’s ‘NSA-Like’ Surveillance in Limbo with Leadership Tussle
The Washington Examiner discusses Mick Mulvaney’s appointment as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with John Berlau. The fight for control of…
Blog
Acting CFPB Director Mulvaney’s Bipartisan FinTech Work
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has long broken bread with folks he disagrees with to find common ground on policy.
Blog
Good Riddance to Finance Regulator Richard Cordray
The resignation of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray is long overdue.
News Release
CEI Urges Swift Action on CFPB Problems as Director Richard Cordray Resigns
The CFPB under Cordray’s tenure has failed consumers.
Blog
Property Rights of Fannie and Freddie Shareholders—Including Small Investors—Must Be Respected
Private investors should never be guaranteed any type of government bailout. At the same time, they should not have their property and contract rights violated.
News Release
Report: Taxpayers in Danger of Massive Mortgage Bailout
Looming problems mean taxpayers are unfairly on the hook for yet another 2008-style mortgage bailout.
Study
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Still Endanger U.S. Economy
View Full Document as PDF Nearly a decade since the housing bust of 2008 sent the U.S. economy into a tailspin, much…
Bloomberg BNA
Business Groups Attack ‘America First’ Merger Review Bill
Bloomberg BNA discusses the United States Foreign Investment Review Act of 2017 with John Berlau. Senate legislation to increase scrutiny of mergers proposed by…
News Release
CFPB Payday Loan Rule Hurts Consumers in Urgent Need: Statement by CEI expert
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today unveiled its long-awaited rule against short term “payday” loans. CEI Senior Fellow John Berlau criticized the new rule,…
Reason
Defenders of the CFPB’s Newest Financial Regulation Are Ignoring Crucial Facts
Reason discusses the anti-arbitration rule in regards to the Equifax breach with John Berlau. In the wake of the Equifax breach, in which hackers…
Blog
Fat-Cat Attorneys’ Bogus Arguments on Arbitration Rule
Fat cat class-action attorneys and their apologists are getting desperate.
The American Spectator
Why Trump Must Fire Obama Holdover Cordray
In the private sector and during his short time as president, Donald J. Trump has never been shy about firing subordinates. Yet some powerful Obama…
The Hill
Disappointments Aside, Sessions Has Been on a Winning Streak for Trump Supporters
The Hill covers the upcoming DOJ decision on the structure and constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. For someone who, like me,…
Study
Shrinking Government Bureaucracy
View Full Document as PDF Shrinking Government Bureaucracy is a series of policy proposals by Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) experts to rein in…
Blog
Yes, Federal Arbitration Rule Will Harm ‘Little Guys’
The Senate to follow the House’s lead and pass a Congressional Review Act resolution to block the Arbitration Rule.
Blog
Rethinking the Securities and Exchange Commission
The Securities and Exchange Commission be abolished and its authority to punish securities fraud be transferred to the Federal Trade Commission.
Legal Newsline
DOL Looks to Delay Fiduciary Rule until 2019
Legal Newsline discusses the delayed implementation of the fiduciary rule with John Berlau. The U.S. Department of Labor is looking to push back…
Study
Rethinking the Securities and Exchange Commission
View Full Document as PDF The nation’s securities laws and the very existence of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are premised…
CNBC
Investor-Protection Rule is Here to Stay … For Now
CNBC quotes CEI’s John Berlau on the announcement of a delay in implementing the disasterous Fiduciary Rule: While opponents are cheering the delay,…
Forbes
Why Hasn’t Trump Fired CFPB’s Cordray?
Another day, another Trump administration official fired or threatened with firing. That’s what political news has seemed like for the past few weeks. But almost…
Financial Times
US to Delay Rule Requiring Retirement Advisers to Put Client Interests First
The Financial Times cites John Berlau’s take on the announcement of a delay in implementing the harmful Fiduciary Rule: The delay is “a…
News Release
Delay in Fiduciary Rule Compliance Deadline Praised by CEI’s John Berlau
The United States Department of Labor on Wednesday reportedly moved to delay the compliance deadline for the controversial, Obama-era fiduciary rule by 18…
Politico
New Glass-Steagall Report
Politico’s Morning Money covers John Berlau’s report, Why Wall Street Loves Glass-Steagall. Via CEI: “CEI has a new Glass-Steagall report on why policymakers…
News Release
Report: Return to Depression-Era Banking Law would Shatter Main Street Banks, Shrink Competition
A new report released today by the Competitive Enterprise Institute warns against efforts by Democrats and Republicans to resurrect the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, a…
Study
Why Wall Street Loves Glass-Steagall
View Full Document as PDF Debates over financial regulation often refer to “Wall Street” and “Main Street” as shorthand for, respectively, 1)…
Blog
Financial Regulators Should End ‘Too-Big-to-Fail’ Status
In the name of financial stability, federal regulators should at the very least hit the much-need pause button on the SIFI designation process.
Blog
Consumers Win as House Votes to Overturn Credit Card Arbitration Ban
The Senate must follow the House in passing this resolution of disapproval and in passing the Financial CHOICE Act to bring constitutional accountability to the…
Crowdfund Insider
“Sarbanes-Oxley Is Shutting Out Average Investors from the Early Growth Stages of the Next Cisco & Starbucks”
Crowdfund Insider covers John Berlau’s testimony on Sarbanes-Oxley before the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities, and Investment (Financial Services). … In…
The Hill
Warren’s Consumer ‘Protection’ Agency Sets Dangerous Precedent
The Hill discusses the CFPB’s arbitration rule with John Berlau. Sen. Elizabeth Warren‘s government-run-wild brain child is continuing its left-wing sprint into…
MarketWatch
Republicans Say Retail Investors Are Missing Out on the ‘Lottery Tickets’ of Private Firms Going Public
MarketWatch covers the congressional testimony of John Belau on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Congressional Republicans believe the cost of going public, and…
Comment
CEI’s John Berlau Testimony Before House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities and Investment
View full document as PDF Chairman Huizenga, Ranking Member Maloney, and honorable members of this subcommittee, thank you for this opportunity to…
News Release
CEI Criticizes New CFPB Ban on Consumer Arbitration Clauses
The Competitive Enterprise Institute today criticized a new rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) banning financial industry companies from using mandatory arbitration clauses to…
Newsmax
Passing Financial Choice Act Will Help FinTech Innovators
Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Financial CHOICE Act along partisan lines with all Democrats present voting against it and all…
Blog
CHOICE Act Helps Sharing Economy and FinTech, but a Senate Bill May Harm It
Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Financial CHOICE Act along partisan lines with all Democrats present voting against it and all…
American Public Media
AUDIO: John Berlau Discusses the Financial CHOICE Act on APM’s Marketplace
News Release
House-Passed Financial CHOICE Act Will Help Middle Class Investors, Consumers
Today, the House passed a plan aimed at scaling back some of the most harmful provisions of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law. CEI senior…
Reason
Alphabet Soup for the Soul: Some Organizations Represented Include Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Tax Reform, American Legislative Exchange Council, Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation.
Reason discusses the CFPB and the Financia CHOICE Act with John Berlau. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s days as the federal government’s most…
The Hill
The GOP Must Fight Against the Durbin Amendment’s Price Controls
If there’s one thing House Republicans should stand united against, it’s draconian government price controls. When it comes to government policies interfering with market prices,…
News Release
Trump Labor Department Gives Fiduciary Rule Go-Ahead, Despite Harmful Impact on Savers and Investors
Today, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta announced his agency will proceed with the controversial fiduciary rule. CEI senior fellow John Berlau warns that the coming restrictions…
News Release
Berlau Criticizes Government Confiscation of Fannie/Freddie Shareholder Profits
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt is set to testify before the Senate Banking Committee today about government-backed mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie…
Newsmax
Financial CHOICE Act Could Unshackle Small Business
As National Small Business Week is unfolded during the previous week, the House Financial Services Committee marked up a bill on Thursday of last week…
Blog
Financial Choice Act Advances National Small Business Week
As National Small Business Week is unfolding, the House Financial Services Committee is now marking up a bill to lend small businesses a helping hand.
Washington Free Beacon
GOP Urges Acosta to Block Obama Retirement Rule
The Washington Free Beacon discusses why the Department of Labor should eliminate the fiduciary rule with John Berlau. Labor watchdogs also have called…
News Release
CEI’s John Berlau Warns Trump Against Return to Glass-Steagall Banking Restrictions
President Trump said on Monday in a Bloomberg News interview that he was considering breaking up America’s biggest banks. “I’m looking at that right now,”…
Politico
No Obamacare vote this week
Politico’s Morning Money highlights John Berlau’s review of President Trump’s first one hundred days in office. TRUMP IN REVIEW — CEI’s John Berlau:…
Washington Free Beacon
Acosta Is New Secretary of Labor
The Washington Free Beacon discusses the confirmation of Alexander Acosta as Labor Secretary with John Berlau. Conservative legal experts urged Acosta to act…
Consumer Reports
How Consumer Financial Protections Could Be Rolled Back
Consumer Reports discusses removing the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with John Berlau. Supporters of the current structure, in which the…
News Release
CEI Priorities for New Labor Secretary Acosta
The Senate on Thursday confirmed Alexander Acosta to head the U.S. Department of Labor. CEI experts on labor and financial policy, respectively, offered their thoughts…
CNBC
Banks and Trump: ‘The Rally Has Met Reality’
CNBC discusses President Trumps banking and finance policy agenda with John Berlau. Trump’s rhetoric has alternated between being tough on Wall Street risk-taking…
Politico Morning Money
So … No Shutdown: Financial Fixes Report
Politico’s Morning Money highlights John Berlau’s report on five key financial reforms. FINANCIAL FIXES REPORT — The Competitive Enterprise Institute on Tuesday is…
News Release
Five Financial Reforms to Help Jumpstart U.S. Economic and Investment Opportunities
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report identifies five urgent financial reform priorities needed to free people from regulations that hurt small businesses and entrepreneurs…
Study
Five Key Financial Regulation Reforms
View Full Document as PDF First there was “fintech,” now there is “regtech.” Fintech—short for “financial technology”—is the popular term to describe…
News Release
Trump Order on Too Big To Fail a Good Start to Ending Red Tape, Bailouts
Today, President Trump is set to sign a presidential memorandum aimed, in part, at reviewing the process for designating non-bank financial institutions as “systemically important,” better…
News Release
White House, Congress Should Not Resurrect Failed Glass-Steagall Banking Restrictions
Statement by John Berlau, Competitive Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow: Rather than restrict services banks can provide, the White House and lawmakers should…
News Release
Delaying the Fiduciary Rule will be a Big Reprieve for Savers
The Trump Labor Department on April 5 sent the Office of Management and Budget its final rule requesting a 60-day delay for the Obama fiduciary…
Forbes
Happy 5th Birthday, JOBS Act! — Celebrate By Expanding Deregulation
After the recent failure of the Republican-sponsored “repeal and replace” health care bill, it’s hard to imagine members of this Congress coming to consensus even…
Newsmax
We Can’t Afford Cordray’s, CFPB’s Opulence
Even before its namesake ran for president, Trump Tower was seen as a symbol of the ultimate in opulence. Since the election, some have quipped…
Comment
Testimony of John Berlau to House Oversight Committee
Blog
Help Stop Obamacare for Your IRA and 401(k)
While Congress is battling over repeal of Obamacare, President Donald Trump is setting a course to repeal a regulation that the Obama administration pushed through…
News Release
CEI Praises Trump Move to Seek Fiduciary Rule Delay
Forbes
‘Cordray Tower’ And Other Reasons For Trump To Fire CFPB Director Cordray
Even before its namesake ran for President, Trump Tower was seen as a symbol of the ultimate in opulence. Since the election, some have quipped…
Blog
Mnuchin Must Bring Transparency to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Recently-confirmed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin must do everything he can to reverse the extreme secrecy practiced by the Obama Treasury Department.
Wall Street Journal
Why Stop at Dodd-Frank? Some Want Trump’s Regulatory Overhaul to Go Further
The Wall Street Journal discusses revamping a provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with John Berlau. The fight over the rule has been…
USA Today
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau could see wings clipped
USA Today discusses the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Director Richard Cordray with John Berlau. It has been all over the board. Critics hope…