Save CFPB: Americans Rely on It

I am writing to demand immediate congressional action to prevent the unconstitutional shutdown of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB has been one of the most effective agencies in protecting American consumers from financial abuse, corporate fraud, and predatory lending. The President’s unilateral decision to freeze its operations is not only reckless but a direct violation of the constitutional separation of powers. Congress must step in now to stop this unlawful overreach. The CFPB has delivered tangible benefits to millions of Americans. Just in recent years, it has: • Held Wells Fargo accountable for widespread fraud—forcing the bank to pay billions in penalties for illegally opening millions of unauthorized accounts. • Cracked down on payday lenders that prey on low-income families with exorbitant interest rates, securing refunds and relief for vulnerable borrowers. • Recovered billions for consumers through enforcement actions against predatory mortgage lenders, student loan servicers, and credit card companies engaged in deceptive practices. • Protected military service members from financial scams, enforcing laws against fraudulent auto loans and hidden banking fees that target military families. Shutting down this agency does not serve the American people—it serves only the banks and financial giants who want to return to an era of unchecked power, where fraud and abuse go unpunished. The CFPB was created precisely because Congress recognized the need for an independent watchdog to protect consumers from financial exploitation. Trump’s move to unilaterally dismantle it is a blatant abuse of power. Legal scholars and analysts have already warned that the administration’s actions are unconstitutional. The CFPB exists by congressional mandate, and its funding is protected under the law. No president—no matter how much they despise oversight—has the authority to unilaterally strip an independent agency of its ability to function. This is not governance; it is authoritarianism. We do not live in a dictatorship, despite what Trump and Musk seem to believe. Congress, not the executive branch, controls the fate of federal agencies, and it is your duty to prevent this blatant power grab. If the CFPB can be shuttered with the stroke of a pen, what stops this administration from dismantling other agencies critical to American security, health, and well-being? The time to act is now. Congress must reassert its authority, block this unconstitutional action, and ensure that the CFPB continues to do its job—protecting consumers from financial predators. I urge you to take immediate legislative action to restore CFPB’s authority and stop this reckless and illegal assault on consumer protections. The American people are watching, and history will not look kindly on those who stood by while democracy was dismantled.