Newsroom

June 25, 2018

Berger, Mulvaney talk CFPB changes, future vision

Mulvaney
Mick Mulvaney

In an exclusive video message that aired Friday at NAFCU's Annual Conference, association President and CEO Dan Berger interviewed CFPB Acting Director Mick Mulvaney on various changes he's made at the bureau and what supervised entities can expect going forward.

Mulvaney told Berger that he is working to focus the bureau on the law – no longer regulation by enforcement – so entities are "clear about what the rules of the road are."
 
Reiterating throughout the interview that credit unions are the good guys and did not cause the financial crisis, he is hoping to focus the bureau's attention on the really bad actors. "We are here to protect consumers," Mulvaney said. "If you are violating the law, we will get you, but we aren't in the 'gotcha' game."
 
Mulvaney also touched on those items he requested of Congress that would add transparency to the bureau's operations. He talked about the ask of an independent inspector general (currently the bureau shares one with the Federal Reserve), to be part of the congressional appropriations process, the ability to be fired by the president and a five-person commission to lead the bureau rather than a single director. NAFCU has been outspoken on many of Mulvaney's asks and continues to urge lawmakers to make these changes.
 
Berger and Mulvaney also talked about the bureau's UDAAP authority, regulatory relief and changes being made to its councils and boards, including the Credit Union Advisory Council.
 
In closing, Mulvaney touted credit unions and the role they play in the financial marketplace. "I know credit unions and I know they are about their members," he said. "Thank you for what you do."