Urge CFPB to Drop Proposed Rule Gutting Fair Lending Protections Under ECOA

November 19, 2025

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued a proposed rule gutting fair lending protections under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). This is a deeply concerning development.

Here are the facts:

• The CFPB has issued a proposed rule that would decimate fair lending protections in the ECOA, which prohibits discrimination in lending.
• This would permit unfettered gender, age, racial, religious, or other types of discrimination in all consumer lending decisions, including mortgages, credit cards, and car loans.
• The comment period is only 30 days. Comments are due December 15, 2025

NCLC has prepared a template and web submission form you can use to prepare short, unique, fact-based comments. Here is a fact sheet describing the rule.

The most important thing you can do right now is to share the experiences of people who experienced credit discrimination or were discouraged from applying for credit on the basis of their: race; color; national origin; religion; sex; marital status; age; source of income; or exercising any rights under TILA, FDCPA, FCRA, ECOA, EFTA, or federal garnishment protections.

Comments from individuals and organizations are both welcome and useful. We want as many unique comments as possible to build the record that illegal discrimination is real and harmful. The more evidence there is in the record the stronger the case for any litigation challenge will be. Comments can also be used to show the press, legislators, and other policymakers, now and in the future, the importance of preserving or restoring ECOA’s protections.