usc 12 § 5496
Appearances before and reports to Congress (BANKS AND BANKING (12 U.S.C.))
Operative Text
The Director of the Bureau shall appear before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives at semi-annual hearings regarding the reports required under subsection (b). The Bureau shall, concurrent with each semi-annual hearing referred to in subsection (a), prepare and submit to the President and to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report, beginning with the session following the designated transfer date. The Bureau may also submit such report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. The reports required by subsection (b) shall include— a discussion of the significant problems faced by consumers in shopping for or obtaining consumer financial products or services; a justification of the budget request of the previous year; a list of the significant rules and orders adopted by the Bureau, as well as other significant initiatives conducted by the Bureau, during the preceding year and the plan of the Bureau for rules, orders, or other initiatives to be undertaken during the upcoming period; an analysis of complaints about consumer financial products or services that the Bureau has received and collected in its central database on complaints during the preceding year; a list, with a brief statement of the issues, of the public supervisory and enforcement actions to which the Bureau was a party during the preceding year; the actions taken regarding rules, orders, and supervisory actions with respect to covered persons which are not credit unions or depository institutions; an assessment of significant actions by State attorneys general or State regulators relating to Federal consumer financial law; an analysis of the efforts of the Bureau to fulfill the fair lending mission of the Bureau; and an analysis of the efforts of the Bureau to increase workforce and contracting diversity consistent with the procedures established by the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion.
Under 12 U.S.C. § 5496, the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is required to appear before designated Senate and House committees twice a year to discuss a formal report. That report, submitted simultaneously to Congress and the President, must cover a defined set of topics including consumer complaints, significant rulemaking activity, enforcement actions, fair lending efforts, and workforce diversity initiatives. The provision establishes a structured, recurring accountability mechanism between the Bureau and the legislative branch.
Plain English — not legal advice.
For property owners and managers who offer consumer financial products or services—such as certain mortgage products—12 U.S.C. § 5496 is relevant because it requires the CFPB to publicly report on its significant rules, orders, and supervisory and enforcement actions each year. Compliant operators generally monitor these semi-annual reports to stay informed about regulatory priorities, newly adopted rules, and enforcement trends that may affect their compliance programs. Reviewing the Bureau's published reports and hearing testimony can help operators understand the direction of CFPB oversight in the housing finance space.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 12 U.S.C. § 5496, the CFPB is required to compile and report data on consumer complaints about financial products and services, including those related to housing, and to present that information to Congress at semi-annual hearings. This means tenants and homeowners who have submitted complaints to the CFPB's central database may see their concerns reflected in publicly available congressional reports. Tenants who believe their rights under federal consumer financial law have been violated can explore options such as submitting a complaint to the CFPB, reviewing the Bureau's published enforcement actions, or reaching out to a tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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