Progressives Praise President’s Appointment of Richard Cordray to Head the CFPB and Urge Recess Appointments to the NLRB

Washington, DC – The Campaign for America’s Future supports President Obama’s decision to appoint Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and encourages the president to quickly appoint members of the National Labor Relations Board.

Statement of Roger Hickey, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future:

“We are very pleased that President Obama has used his Constitutional powers to appoint Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB). The Bureau needs to be up and running at full steam to protect consumers. Now the CFPB can be a watch dog on both banks and nonbanks and can work with its full powers to protect consumers. Republican lawmakers have tried to obstruct the Cordray appointment and the president’s nominations to other essential government bodies like the National Labor Relations Board -- agencies established by law but whose function they have been trying to hobble by refusing to allow a vote.

“Now the President should move quickly to use his recess appointment powers to appoint Members of the National Labor Relations Board (NPRB). The NLRB’s work is vital to protecting workers in this country. In an economy where more and more is expected from workers, the NLRB plays a vital role in worker protection. Activists from all over the country will be urging the President to appoint members to the NLRB. Republicans and the business lobby have worked to hobble the NLRB, but the president must push back against the business lobby and stand up for workers.”

The Campaign for America’s Future is urging Americans to contact the president to encourage him to appoint members of the NLRB. A quorum of members of the NLRB must be in place in order for them to be able to conduct work on behalf of America’s workers.