[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95571-95572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31396]


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BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION


Consumer Advisory Board and Councils Solicitation of Applications 
for Membership

AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the authorities given to the Director of the 
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) under the Wall Street 
Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) Director Richard 
Cordray invites the public to apply for membership for appointment to 
its Consumer Advisory Board (Board), Community Bank Advisory Council, 
and Credit Union Advisory Council (collectively, Advisory Councils). 
Membership of the Board and Councils includes representatives of 
consumers, communities, the financial services industry and academics. 
Appointments to the Board are typically for three years and 
appointments to the Councils are typically for two years. However, the 
Director may amend the respective Board and Council charters from time 
to time during the charter terms, as the Director deems necessary to 
accomplish the purpose of the Board and Councils. The Bureau expects to 
announce the selection of new members in August 2017.

DATES: The application will be available on January 16, 2017 here: 
https://goo.gl/u23ClY. Complete application packets received on or 
before March 1, 2017, will be given consideration for membership on the 
Board and Councils.

ADDRESSES: If electronic submission is not feasible, the completed 
application packet can be mailed to Julian Alcazar, Outreach and 
Engagement Specialist, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20552.
    All applications for membership on the Board and Councils should be 
sent:
     Electronically: https://goo.gl/u23ClY. We strongly 
encourage electronic submissions.
    Mail:
     Julian Alcazar, Outreach and Engagement Specialist, 
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street NW., Washington, DC 
20552. Submissions must be postmarked on or before March 1, 2017.
     Hand Delivery/Courier in Lieu of Mail: Julian Alcazar, 
Outreach and Engagement Specialist, Consumer Financial Protection 
Bureau, 1275 First Street NE., 1223-C, Washington, DC 20002. 
Submissions must be received on or before 5 p.m. eastern standard time 
on March 1, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Julian Alcazar, Outreach and Engagement 
Specialist, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, (202) 435-9885.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Bureau is charged with regulating ``the offering and provision 
of consumer financial products or services under the Federal consumer 
financial laws,'' so as to ensure that ``all consumers have access to 
markets for consumer financial products and services and that markets 
for consumer financial products and services are fair, transparent, and 
competitive.'' Pursuant to section 1021(c) of the Wall Street Reform 
and Consumer Protection Act, Public Law 111-203, Dodd-Frank Act, the 
Bureau's primary functions are:
    1. Conducting financial education programs;
    2. Collecting, investigating, and responding to consumer 
complaints;
    3. Collecting, researching, monitoring, and publishing information 
relevant to the function of markets for consumer financial products and 
services to

[[Page 95572]]

identify risks to consumers and the proper functioning of such markets;
    4. Supervising persons covered under the Dodd-Frank Act for 
compliance with Federal consumer financial law, and taking appropriate 
enforcement action to address violations of Federal consumer financial 
law;
    5. Issuing rules, orders, and guidance implementing Federal 
consumer financial law; and
    6. Performing such support activities as may be needed or useful to 
facilitate the other functions of the Bureau.
    As described in more detail below, section 1014 of the Dodd-Frank 
Act calls for the Director of the Bureau to establish a Consumer 
Advisory Board to advise and consult with the Bureau regarding its 
functions, and to provide information on emerging trends and practices 
in the consumer financial markets.

II. Qualifications

    Pursuant to section 1014(b) of the Dodd-Frank Act, in appointing 
members to the Board, ``the Director shall seek to assemble experts in 
consumer protection, financial services, community development, fair 
lending and civil rights, and consumer financial products or services 
and representatives of depository institutions that primarily serve 
underserved communities, and representatives of communities that have 
been significantly impacted by higher-priced mortgage loans, and seek 
representation of the interests of covered persons and consumers, 
without regard to party affiliation.'' The determinants of 
``expertise'' shall depend, in part, on the constituency, interests, or 
industry sector the nominee seeks to represent, and where appropriate, 
shall include significant experience as a direct service provider to 
consumers.
    Pursuant to section 5 of the Community Bank Advisory Council 
Charter, in appointing members to the Council the Director shall seek 
to assemble experts in consumer protection, financial services, 
community development, fair lending and civil rights, and consumer 
financial products or services and representatives of community banks 
that primarily serve underserved communities, and representatives of 
communities that have been significantly impacted by higher-priced 
mortgage loans, and shall strive to have diversity in terms of points 
of view. Only current bank or thrift employees (CEOs, compliance 
officers, government relations officials, etc.) will be considered for 
membership. Membership is limited to employees of banks and thrifts 
with total assets of $10 billion or less that are not affiliates of 
depository institutions or credit unions with total assets of more than 
$10 billion.
    Pursuant to section 12 of the Credit Union Advisory Council 
Charter, in appointing members to the Council the Director shall seek 
to assemble experts in consumer protection, financial services, 
community development, fair lending and civil rights, and consumer 
financial products or services and representatives of credit unions 
that primarily serve underserved communities, and representatives of 
communities that have been significantly impacted by higher-priced 
mortgage loans, and shall strive to have diversity in terms of points 
of view. Only current credit union employees (CEOs, compliance 
officers, government relations officials, etc.) will be considered for 
membership. Membership is limited to employees of credit unions with 
total assets of $10 billion or less that are not affiliates of 
depository institutions or credit unions with total assets of more than 
$10 billion.
    The Bureau has a special interest in ensuring that the perspectives 
of women and men, all racial and ethnic groups, and individuals with 
disabilities are adequately represented on the Board and Councils, and 
therefore, encourages applications from qualified candidates from these 
groups. The Bureau also has a special interest in establishing a Board 
that is represented by a diversity of viewpoints and constituencies, 
and therefore encourages applications from qualified candidates who:
    1. Represent the United States' geographic diversity; and
    2. Represent the interests of special populations identified in the 
Dodd-Frank Act, including service members, older Americans, students, 
and traditionally underserved consumers and communities.

III. Application Procedures

    Any interested person may apply for membership on the Board or 
Council.
    A complete application packet must include:
    1. A recommendation letter from a third party describing the 
applicant's interests and qualifications to serve on the Board or 
Council;
    2. A complete r[eacute]sum[eacute] or curriculum vitae for the 
applicant; and
    3. A one-page cover letter, which summarizes the applicant's 
expertise and provides reason(s) why he or she would like to join the 
Board or Council.
    4. A complete application. https://goo.gl/u23ClY.
    To evaluate potential sources of conflicts of interest, the Bureau 
will ask potential candidates to provide information related to 
financial holdings and/or professional affiliations, and to allow the 
Bureau to perform a background check. The Bureau will not review 
applications and will not answer questions from internal or external 
parties regarding applications until the application period has closed.
    The Bureau will not entertain applications of federally registered 
lobbyists for a position on the Board and Councils.
    Only complete applications will be given consideration for review 
of membership on the Board and Councils.

    Dated: December 20, 2016.
Elizabeth Corbett,
Acting Chief of Staff, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection
[FR Doc. 2016-31396 Filed 12-27-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4810-AM-P