The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is seeking comment on how to engage the public in field hearings and town hall meetings as part of a broad review of all of the bureau's processes under acting Director Mick Mulvaney.
The CFPB issued a request for information Wednesday on "external engagements," referring to the variety of meetings and other functions the bureau hosts to gather feedback on agency policies. They include everything from invitation-only roundtable discussions to formal advisory groups. The CFPB has a Consumer Advisory Board that is mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act, but the agency is seeking input on ways it can "maximize public participation and constructive input.
In its request, the CFPB said it is looking at "vehicles for soliciting public and private perspectives from outside of Washington, D.C., on the bureau’s work."
The CFPB specifically sought comment on strategies for gathering "public and private feedback from diverse external stakeholders on the bureau’s work," among other things. The comment period will be open for 90 days.
In January, Mulvaney announced a public review of all the CFPB's processes, and just last week the agency announced the addition of eight new topics on which the agency will seek comment, with one request for information being issued every week. The request on external engagements is the fifth released so far, with a dozen topics expected to be released overall.
The CFPB kicked off the public review by asking for feedback on civil investigative demands, followed by administrative adjudications, enforcement processes and supervision. Next week, the CFPB will ask for feedback on complaint reporting.
Mulvaney has said he issued the "call for evidence" to ensure the bureau is fulfilling its "proper and appropriate functions to best protect consumers."
