Mark Hays

Americans for Financial Reform is a nonpartisan and nonprofit coalition of more than 200 civil rights, consumer, labor, business, investor, faith-based, and civic and community groups. Formed in the wake of the 2008 crisis, we are working to lay the foundation for a strong, stable, and ethical financial system – one that serves the economy and the nation as a whole. AFR has been called “the leading voice for Wall Street accountability” in Washington (by Zach Carter of the Huffington Post). Through policy analysis, education, and outreach to our members and others, AFR builds public will for substantial reform, including: -Fair rules of the road for consumers and a strong, effective Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to set basic safety standards and protect families—and the market as a whole—from loans designed to trick and trap -A banking system that helps people buy and stay in their homes and invests in communities and businesses to create good jobs and strong neighborhoods -An end to the casino economy that allows Wall Street to make “heads we win, tails they lose” bets with our money -An end to megabank bailouts and financial institutions that are “too big to fail” -Executive compensation that rewards long-term value creation, not excessive risk-taking, with meaningful shareholder review -A transparent and accountable Federal Reserve, independent of banking industry control -Transparency for all financial products and markets -Meaningful limits on the political influence of the financial sector, so that the job of rewriting the rules is not left to the inside players who caused the problems we now face Americans for Financial Reform does not receive tax-deductible contributions. A separate project, Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund, pursues related goals through a range of nonpartisan advocacy activities and does receive tax-deductible contributions. You can learn more about AFR’s Education Fund at http://realbankreform.org/.