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…
Blog
Sen. Elizabeth Warren Tries to Silence Fiduciary Rule Critics
Sen. Elizabeth Warren has frequently resorted to intimidation to effectively silence those with views which she disagrees. This is particularly true for critics of the…
Blog
Smart Move for White House to Push Back on Fiduciary Rule, Dodd-Frank
President Trump’s forthcoming executive actions—expected to halt the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule and call for review of Dodd-Frank regulations—will greatly benefit middle-class investors, entrepreneurs,…
CNBC
Here’s what everybody is getting wrong about changes to banking rules
CNBC discusses repealing the Dodd-Frank Act with John Berlau. While Trump can roll back some measures through executive order, there are other provisions…
Reason.com
Frankly, Trump’s Plan To Review and Reform Dodd-Frank Makes a Lot of Sense
Reason.com discusses repealing burdensome aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act with John Berlau. Beyond the question of bailouts, reviewing and reforming the Obama administration’s…
Daily Caller
Trump Signs Executive Order To Rip Up Dodd-Frank ‘Disaster’
The Daily Caller discusses the White House halting the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule with John Berlau. While Friday’s action establishing the framework…
Blog
Congress Should Eliminate SEC Rule that Discloses Company Information to Foreign Governments
Congress should pass a joint resolution of disapproval and block the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rule relating to ‘‘Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers.”…
Blog
Coalition Defends Reform of Credit Union Lending Rules
A dozen conservative and free-market groups have signed onto a coalition letter to preserve deregulation of credit union lending.
CNN Money
Trump should fire CFPB Director Richard Cordray: GOP
CNN Money discusses the president removing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s director with John Berlau. However, it’s not exactly clear if Trump will…
Blog
Clayton Must Work for Both Small and Large Investors at SEC
Jay Clayton, and anyone who goes on to serve on the Commission, must advance the interests of both Main Street investors and entrepreneurs trying to…
Crowdfund Insider
Jay Clayton to Join SEC During Unprecedented Need to “Cut the Red Tape”
Crowdfund Insider speaks with John Berlau on President-elect Trump’s nominee of Jay Clayton for Securities and Exchange Commission chair. Seeking additional perspective, Crowdfund…
The Wall Street Journal
Obama’s Regulations Aren’t the Only Trump Target
Overregulation didn’t start during the Obama administration. President-Elect Trump and the new Congress need to go further.
CNN Money
Elizabeth Warren watchdog under siege
CNN Money discusses the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its director with John Berlau. CFPB Director Richard Cordray has “inundated Main Street financial…
Tulsa World
Credit Reports Used by Insurance Companies
Tulsa World
What’s the Best Way to Create More Jobs?
Unleash the power of small business. The US Senate just passed a bill called the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act. The thrust of the…
The Wall Street Journal
Senate Can Help With Jobs if it Will
Study
First Steps for the Trump Administration: Restore Financial Freedom
View full document as a PDF Over the past 15 years—beginning with the George W. Bush administration and accelerating rapidly in the…
Blog
Treasury Nominee Mnuchin Promising on Volcker Rule and Fannie and Freddie
Steven Mnuchin would bring to the Treasury Department valuable experience managing entrepreneurial ventures and company turnarounds. He has expressed some encouraging sentiments on housing policy…
Forbes
Court Must Overturn ‘Obamacare for your IRA’
Note: This column was coauthored by Pamela Villarreal, senior fellow at the Dallas-based National Center for Policy Analysis. Access to financial advice and a variety…
Blog
New Credit Union Deregulation Helps Consumers and Entrepreneurs
In my Forbes column last week, I wrote about how America’s credit unions faced massive new regulatory burdens from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Forbes
Next President Should Fire CFPB’s Cordray
“You’re fired!” A certain presidential candidate made that phrase famous. But whoever is elected to the White House this November should say those words to…
Study
Congress Can Protect Workers Using the Power of the Purse
View Full Document as PDF In 2016 to date, the Obama administration has burdened the American public with nearly $100 billion in…
NewsBusters
Liberals, Media Allies Might Face Some Serious Opposition on Financial Regulation
New York State’s Department of Labor recently made headlines with its rules mandating that employers paying their workforces with prepaid debit cards ensure that employees…
Blog
How Financial CHOICE Act Rescues Unbanked Americans
If the New York State Department of Labor is really concerned about unbanked employees being hit with fees, it should lend its support to the…
Newsmax
CFPB Favors Trial Lawyers at Consumers’ Expense
Crowdfund Insider
Will CFPB Move to Limit Arbitration Undermine Alternative Finance?
Crowdfunding Insider reports on CEI's comments on the Consumer Financial Bureau's proposed ban on arbitration regarding certain consumer financial agreements. While the intent may…
The Atlantic
Could Reviving a Defunct Banking Rule Prevent a Future Crisis?
The Atlantic features John Berlau's argument against the revival of the Glass-Steagall rule. Election years are a time when politicians put on their…
Forbes
CFPB Anti-Arbitration Rule Will Harm Consumers and FinTech
"Gotcha!" That’s what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) claims binding arbitration clauses in consumer finance contracts often amount to. In these clauses, consumers agree…
Digital Journal
Dawn J. Bennett, Host of Financial Myth Busting, Interviews John Berlau, Economist
Financial Adviser Dawn Bennett interview John Berlau on the Securities Exchange Commission's in-house court. BENNETT: John Berlau is a senior fellow at the…
Forbes
How Glass-Steagall’s Return Would Shatter America’s Hometown Banks
Set against the Main Street backdrop of Cleveland, the drafters of the Republican convention platform pledged support for a banking rule signed into law by…
Bloomberg
Trump’s VP Wears His Opposition to 2008 Bank Bailouts With Pride
Bloomberg discusses the GOP platform's support of reinstating the Glass-Steagall Act with John Berlau. In addition to scaling back Dodd-Frank — which Republicans…
Blog
‘Crexit’ Votes Will Help U.S. Entrepreneurs and Investors
In yet another blow against the Brexit chicken littles, not only have the large British companies comprising the FTSE 100 gained back all the losses…
Crowdfund Insider
The Fix Crowdfunding Act Passes House & Heads to the Senate
Crowdfund Insider discusses bills to expand the JOBS Act with John Berlau. John Berlau, a Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, described…
Blog
Investors Got into Fiduciary Rule Conversation Months before John Oliver Joined in
“Fiduciary Rule Goes Prime Time,” reads the headline of a recent cover story of the magazine Investment News. The story argues that after political comic…
Forbes
If ‘Fiduciary Rule’ Goes Through, the Joke Is On American Savers
John Oliver’s viewers may think of themselves as the smart set, but the popular TV comic recently suggested that he rather deems them dim bulbs…
Crowdfund Insider
Half a Crowdfunding Fix: HR 4855 Passes House Financial Services Committee with Several Changes
Crowdfund Insider quotes John Berlau's letter of support for the Fix Crowdfunding Act bill. John Berlau, a Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute,…
Blog
CEI Support for Rep. McHenry’s “Fix Crowdfunding Act”
Today, the House Financial Services Committee will likely be voting on Rep. Patrick McHenry’s Fix Crowdfunding Act, a much-needed expansion of the bipartisan Jumpstart Our…
Forbes
Improve Access to Capital & Access to Wealth Creation With More Crowdfunding Deregulation
In this hyper-partisan era, the one thing Republicans and Democrats seem to agree on is the need to enable entrepreneurs and small businesses to gain…
The Heartland Institute
Congress Votes to Block New Broker Regulations
The Heartland Institute discusses the fiduciary rule with Senior Fellow John Berlau. John Berlau, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says…
Politico
Payday Lending Rule Fly-Around
Politico's Morning Money features John Berlau's statement on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's new payday lending rule. CEI’s John Berlau: “The CFPB's rule…
Legal NewsLine
U.S. Senate passes resolution to block DOL’s fiduciary rule
Legal NewsLine discusses Congress's resolution of disapproval blocking the Department of Labor's fiduciary rule with John Berlau. John Berlau, a financial policy expert at…
News Release
CEI Finance Policy Expert Supports Senate’s Vote to Block Fiduciary Rule
Today, the Senate voted against the Labor Department's fiduciary rule by approving the House-passed resolution of disapproval, under Congressional Review Act auspices. CEI financial policy expert…
Daily Caller
Revolving Door Swings As Feds Take Posh Jobs At Big Banks
The Daily Caller discusses the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with John Berlau. John Berlau, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a…
Blog
Crowdfunding Rules: Four Years Late and Millions Short
Today, Monday, May 16, more than four years and one month after Congress passed and President Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act…
Newsmax
Let’s Fix Crowdfunding so Middle-Class Investors Can Profit
More than four years and one month after Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act of 2012, the…
Watchdog.org
Lending influence: Progressive group profits from pushing financial regs
Watchdog.org discusses new regulations from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with John Berlau. One of the chief advocates of the CFPB’s regulatory actions…
Wealth Management
Why the DOL Rule Is Bad for Small Savers
The Department of Labor’s (DOL) “fiduciary rule,” likely to first take effect in June unless blocked by Congress or the courts, will deprive small…
Blog
CEI Supports Vote to Block Labor Department’s Fiduciary Rule
Today, Congress has the opportunity to block the costly "Fiduciary Rule."…