Why It Matters

The American Financial Services Association (AFSA) lobbied on overall limitations to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regulations and oversight of the Bureau, promoting bank-fintech partnerships, and examination of current and potential future tax benefits for the automotive industry.

By the Numbers

The association spent $266,000 on in-house lobbying in the second quarter of 2026, the same amount it spent in each of the three previous quarters.

Beyond internal efforts, the association engaged Thorn Run Partners for $40,000 on general installment lending issues in the second quarter, matching its first quarter spending with that firm.

The Agenda

The association's lobbying spans multiple legislative fronts. It continues to push the Transition to Appropriations-Based Budgeting (TABS) Act, which would shift the CFPB to regular appropriations funding, alongside support for the Ensuring Stable Credit for Renters Act and a joint resolution to reverse CFPB medical debt reporting guidance.

On regulatory matters, the group is tracking the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Click to Cancel rule, which was voided by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals but which the FTC has moved to revive through new rulemaking. The AFSA lobbied on the CFPB payday rule, and on March 28, 2025, the CFPB announced it would not prioritize enforcement of payment withdrawal and disclosure provisions set to take effect March 30, 2025.

The One Big Beautiful Bill terminated the Section 45W credit for commercial clean vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025, while creating a new deduction of up to $10,000 in car loan interest for tax years 2025 through 2028.

Emerging priorities include bank-fintech partnerships, industrial loan companies, and data privacy issues. The association also supports the National Strategy for Combating Scams Act, which aims to increase coordination between federal agencies and private sector businesses to prevent scams and facilitate rapid data sharing for law enforcement investigations.

The Bottom Line

The American Financial Services Association has maintained stable lobbying investment while broadening its agenda, and the consistency in spending and personnel suggests a long-term strategy focused on regulatory limits to the CFPB.

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