Senate Republicans Block Democratic CFPB Reversal Efforts

Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked Democratic efforts to reverse recent policy changes at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, implemented under President Donald Trump's administration.

The Senate rejected three resolutions offered by Democrats under the Congressional Review Act, which allows lawmakers to overturn recently finalized federal agency rules. The votes largely followed party lines, including a 47-53 tally against a measure targeting the CFPB's repeal of a Biden-era requirement for banks to obtain customers' affirmative consent before charging overdraft fees. Democrats also advanced more than a dozen other resolutions by voice vote, all of which Republicans blocked. The measures addressed issues such as medical debt collection practices and consumer protections for military members.

The CFPB, created by Congress after the 2008 financial crisis to regulate consumer financial products as an independent agency, has undergone significant changes since Trump's second term began. Acting Director Russell Vought, who also serves as Trump's budget director, has rescinded 67 policies. Much of the bureau's staff has been directed not to work, rendering it...