issues

Foreclosures continue to occur in our district at higher rates than the country as a whole. Though the rate of foreclosures is lessening, the risk of losing one's home remains a reality for many residents of the 13th Congressional District. Please know that I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress until all Americans are safe from foreclosure of their homes. While on the Financial Services Committee, I have worked to ensure that large financial institutions create new solutions for people facing foreclosure. If you are in danger of losing your home to foreclosure, please contact my office for assistance.

Purchasing a home is often the most significant financial step a consumer will take in his or her lifetime, which is why I also believe availability of education on mortgage lending is essential to the process of purchasing a home as well.  I have consistently supported measures to improve financial education as a key component of the home-buying process and ensure that prospective homeowners are armed with the knowledge they need to make the best financial decisions for themselves. 

Additionally, as a member of the Financial Services Committee, I have worked consistently in support of federal action to protect homeowners from abusive lending practices and actions to prevent home foreclosures.  Earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 1988, the Protecting Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act, a bill to promote affordability and preserve strong refinancing requirements for VA home loans.  When this bill passed the Senate and ultimately became law in July 2019, it represented a key step toward restoring certainty in the VA mortgage market and ensuring that our nation’s veterans can achieve home-ownership. 

Ensuring that our financial system and our economy as a whole is accessible to all consumers has long been a priority of mine.  Systemic barriers to financial inclusion have held entire communities back for far too long, which is why I introduced legislation earlier this year empowering the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to investigate these barriers and propose solutions to improve access and affordability of financial services for under-served consumers.  At a time when we are seeing growing economic inequality, I believe it is essential that Congress prioritize the most under-served consumers in our economy to ensure their financial safety and economic inclusion. In addition, I support strong initiatives to protect the rights of America's consumers and to ensure accountability by means of comprehensive financial reform legislation as well as a credit card holders' bill of rights, both passed into law in 2010.