The news: The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case regarding the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB’s) funding mechanism, per PYMNTS.
Funding frenzy: The case is an appeal to reconsider a Fifth Circuit ruling that the CFPB’s funding through the Federal Reserve Board, rather than through annual congressional appropriations, is unconstitutional.
Oral arguments will begin in October, with a decision expected by the end of this year or early 2024.
Possible outcomes: Though some banks believe the CFPB should be abolished, few industry experts believe that will happen. Instead, many banks hope the case will lead to reforms.
The bigger picture: Even if the Supreme Court upholds the CFPB’s funding structure, the agency won’t be entirely out of hot water.
Late last year, the American Bankers Association and other industry trade groups sued the CFPB for updates it made to the Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices (UDAAP) section of its exam manual, saying the agency overstepped its bounds. As 2023 unfolds, it looks like the CFPB will have its hands full—and not just with consumer protections.