Minority Press Releases
Brown, Wyden Ask GAO to Examine Oversight of Foreign Investors in U.S. Real Estate
WASHINGTON, D.C. - To ensure national security implications of foreign real estate investments are being fully considered, Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, together with Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., ranking member on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, today requested that the Government Accountability Office investigate how the Committee on Foreign Investment in the Uni… Continue Reading
May 16, 2017
Brown Statement on GOP Leader McConnell's Call to Gut Wall Street Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - today issued the following statement regarding Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) comments that Democrats are blocking efforts to dismantle the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law. "The Senate Republican leader seems to have forgotten the harm Wall Street's greed and reckless behavior caused to millions of working families and taxpayers who were forced to c… Continue Reading
May 16, 2017
Brown Opening Statement at Hearing on Treasury, Commerce Nominees
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - released the following opening statement at today's hearing on four nominations for key national security roles in the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments. The nominees are Sigal Mandelker to be Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Crimes; Marshall Billingslea to be Assistant Treasury Secretary for Terrorist Financing; Heath Tarbert to be Tre… Continue Reading
May 11, 2017
Brown Statement at Housing Finance Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - released the following opening statement at today's hearing entitled, "The Status of the Housing Finance System After Nine Years of Conservatorship." Brown's remarks, as prepared for delivery, follow. Senator Sherrod Brown - Opening StatementHearing: "The Status of the Housing Finance System After Nine Years of Conservatorship"May 11, 2017 Thank you, Chairm… Continue Reading
May 4, 2017
Brown Opening Statement at Hearing on National Flood Insurance Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - released the following opening statement, as prepared for delivery, at today's hearing entitled, "Reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program, Part II." Brown's remarks, as prepared for delivery, follow. Senator Sherrod Brown - Opening StatementHearing: "Reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program, Part II" May 4, 2017 Thank you, … Continue Reading
May 3, 2017
Brown Blasts Trump's Decision to Remove Top Wall Street Watchdog
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - today issued the following statement regarding President Trump's decision to replace Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry as chief watchdog of the nation's largest banks. The President's decision to name an acting appointee to lead the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency comes as the Administration seeks to dismantle key Wall Street reforms enacted after the … Continue Reading
May 2, 2017
Brown Takes Senate Floor to Oppose SEC Nominee Clayton
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - today took to the Senate floor to oppose Jay Clayton's nomination as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, emphasizing the need for a strong, independent watchdog to police Wall Street. Brown noted that Clayton faces a host of conflicts of interest due to the long list of giant banks and corporations that he has represented as one of Wall Street's top la… Continue Reading
May 2, 2017
Brown Statement on House Bill to Dismantle Wall Street Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - today issued the following statement as the House Financial Services Committee marked up Chairman Jeb Hensarling's (R-TX) sprawling bill that would dismantle the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The legislation would gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has returned almost $12 billion to 29 million Americans who have been cheate… Continue Reading
May 2, 2017
Brown Opening Statement at Hearing on U.S.-EU Covered Agreement on Insurance Rules
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - released the following opening statement at today's committee hearing entitled, "Examining the U.S. - EU Covered Agreement." Brown's remarks, as prepared for delivery, follow. Senator Sherrod Brown - Opening StatementHearing: "Examining the U.S. - EU Covered Agreement"May 2, 2017 Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding today's hearing and thank you to our witn… Continue Reading
May 1, 2017
Brown Statement on Supreme Court Ruling Miami's Predatory Lending Case Against Wells Fargo, Bank of America
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's ruling today that cities can bring lawsuits against banks for alleged discriminatory mortgage lending practices under the Fair Housing Act. In its 5-3 decision, the court ruled that the city of Miami has standing to sue Wells Fargo and Bank of America over claims alleging the banks' lending practices discrim… Continue Reading
April 27, 2017
Brown Opening Statement at Hearing on Russia Sanctions
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - released the following opening statement at today's committee hearing on "Countering Russia: Further Assessing Options for Sanctions." Brown's remarks, as prepared for delivery, follow. Senator Sherrod Brown - Opening StatementHearing: "Countering Russia: Further Assessing Options for Sanctions"April 27, 2017 Mr. Chairman, thank you for calling this second i… Continue Reading
April 26, 2017
Brown Statement on CFPB Action Against Ohio Auto Lender Over Debt Collection Tactics
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - issued the following statement regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's action today against an Ohio-based auto lender for failing to pay restitution it owed to military servicemembers who were allegedly harmed by illegal debt collection tactics. The CFPB fined the Security National Automotive Acceptance Company (SNAAC), based in Mason, OH, $1.25 million f… Continue Reading
April 25, 2017
Brown Statement on Wells Fargo's Board of Directors
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - issued the following statement regarding the decision by Wells Fargo's shareholders to retain the bank's board of directors in the aftermath of the company's unauthorized accounts scandal. "Wells Fargo's board failed to look out for shareholders' interests as the bank defrauded thousands of its customers over many years. The board members need to bear responsibility, … Continue Reading
April 21, 2017
Brown Slams Trump Plans to Undermine Key Wall Street Reforms
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and a member of the Finance Committee - issued the following statement today after news reports that President Trump plans to issue executive orders aimed at dismantling key Wall Street reforms enacted after the 2008 financial crisis, and take steps toward rolling back crackdowns on corporate tax loopholes. "After the 2008 financial crisis almost destroyed our economy,… Continue Reading
April 20, 2017
Brown Statement on CFPB Action Against Ocwen Financial for Failing Homeowners
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - issued the following statement regarding today's action by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and state regulators against Ocwen Financial Corp. The CFPB alleges that Ocwen, one of the nation's largest nonbank mortgage servicers, for years "engaged in significant and systemic misconduct at nearly every stage of the mortgage servicing process," according to the bu… Continue Reading
April 20, 2017
Brown Statement on Plan to Roll Back Wall Street Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee - today issued the following statement regarding House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling's (R-TX) bill to undo the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The legislation would gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has returned almost $12 billion to 29 million Americans who have been cheated by shadowy debt collectors, for-profit… Continue Reading
April 4, 2017
Brown Statement at Committee Vote on SEC Nominee Clayton
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - issued the following statement at today's Executive Session on the nomination of Jay Clayton for Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Brown voted against Clayton's nomination. Brown's remarks, as prepared for delivery, follow. Senator Sherrod Brown - Opening Statement:Executive SessionApril 4, 2017 Two weeks ago this Committee heard from Jay C… Continue Reading
March 31, 2017
Brown Urges Court to Preserve Consumer Watchdog's Independence
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - helped lead an amicus brief filed today with a federal appeals court in support of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's current structure as an independent agency. The brief outlines how Congress decided after the 2008 financial crisis to design the CFPB as an independent agency with a single director to protect consumers' interests and respond quickly t… Continue Reading
March 30, 2017
Senators Call for Investigation of Trump's Dealings with Corrupt Oligarch Linked to Iran
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A group of leading Senate Democrats today called for a federal investigation into whether President Trump's business dealings in Azerbaijan may have violated anti-corruption and sanctions laws, and may have served as a channel for money-laundering and other illicit activities tied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) outlined their concerns in a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchi… Continue Reading
March 28, 2017
Brown Opening Statement at Hearing on Economic Growth
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) - ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - released the following opening statement at today's hearing entitled, "Fostering Economic Growth: The Role of Financial Companies." Brown's remarks, as prepared for delivery, follow. Senator Sherrod Brown - Opening StatementHearing: "Fostering Economic Growth: The Role of Financial Companies" March 28, 2017 Thank you, Chairman Crapo for holding this hearing… Continue Reading