Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, 2921-2929 [2016-31596]

Agencies

• BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 10, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 2921-2929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31596]


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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 2017 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 2921]]



BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION

5 CFR Part 9401

[Docket No. CFPB-2016-0050]
RIN 3209-AA15


Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the 
Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection

AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

ACTION: Proposed rule with request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB or Bureau), 
with the concurrence of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), is 
issuing this notice of proposed rulemaking for employees of the Bureau. 
This proposal would amend the existing Supplemental Standards of 
Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Bureau of Consumer Financial 
Protection (CFPB Ethics Regulations) involving: Outside employment for 
covered employees; Bureau employees' ownership or control of certain 
securities; restrictions on seeking, obtaining, or renegotiating credit 
or indebtedness; and disqualification requirements based on existing 
credit or indebtedness. Additionally, the proposed regulation would 
clarify and make minor revisions to certain definitions.

DATES: Comments are invited and must be received on or before February 
9, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CFPB-2016-
0050 or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) number 3209-AA15, by any of 
the following methods:
     Electronic: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: FederalRegisterComments@cfpb.gov. Include Docket 
No. CFPB-2016-0050 or RIN number 3209-AA15 in the subject line of the 
message.
     Mail: Monica Jackson, Office of the Executive Secretary, 
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street NW., Washington, DC 
20552.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Monica Jackson, Office of the 
Executive Secretary, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1275 First 
Street NE., Washington, DC 20002.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number or RIN for this rulemaking. Because paper mail in the 
Washington, DC area and at the Bureau is subject to delay, commenters 
are encouraged to submit comments electronically. In general, all 
comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. In 
addition, comments will be available for public inspection and copying 
at 1275 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20002, on official business 
days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. eastern time. You can make 
an appointment to inspect the documents by telephoning (202) 435-7275.
    All comments, including attachments and other supporting materials, 
will become part of the public record and subject to public disclosure. 
Sensitive personal information, such as account numbers or Social 
Security numbers, should not be included. Comments will not be edited 
to remove any identifying or contact information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amber Vail, Senior Ethics Counsel, at 
(202) 435-7305 or Amy Mertz Brown, Alternate Designated Agency Ethics 
Official, at (202) 435-7256 at the Legal Division, Consumer Financial 
Protection Bureau.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Section 2635.105 of the OGE Standards of Ethical Conduct for 
Executive Branch Employees (OGE Standards) authorizes an agency, with 
the concurrence of OGE, to adopt agency-specific supplemental 
regulations that are necessary to properly implement its ethics 
program. On April 27, 2012, the Bureau, with OGE's concurrence, 
published in the Federal Register an interim final rule to establish 
the CFPB Ethics Regulations (77 FR 25019, April 27, 2012), effective 
June 27, 2012. The Bureau received one comment on the interim final 
rule, which did not prompt a change, and the interim final rule went 
into effect as proposed. The Bureau, with OGE's concurrence, now 
proposes to amend the CFPB Ethics Regulations.

II. Description of Proposed Amended Sections of the CFPB Ethics 
Regulations

Proposed Amended Sec.  9401.102--Definitions

    Section 9401.102 defines terms and phrases used throughout the CFPB 
Ethics Regulations. The Bureau proposes to amend the definitions 
section to add and revise certain useful definitions and delete others.
    The proposed regulation replaces the phrase ``debt and equity 
interest'' with the term ``security'' throughout the CFPB Ethics 
Regulations. The Bureau has found that the term ``debt interest'' has 
caused confusion among some employees. This revision would help 
distinguish between those instances when an individual owns or controls 
a debt ownership interest in an entity (e.g., owns a corporate bond) 
from those in which an individual is indebted to an entity (e.g., has a 
loan or existing credit). The term ``security'' would have the same 
definition as the phrase ``debt and equity interest'' in the current 
regulations.
    The proposed regulation amends the term ``employee'' to exclude 
special Government employees (SGEs). During CFPB's initial stand-up 
period, the Bureau appointed several CFPB executives, subject matter 
experts, and other Bureau officials with significant policy-making 
authority to short-term SGE positions. At that time, the Bureau 
determined it was essential that the CFPB Ethics Regulations apply to 
these employees to assure the public that the Bureau created and 
administered the Bureau's programs in an impartial and objective 
manner. It is no longer the practice for the Bureau to fill such 
positions with SGEs, and the Bureau currently does not have any 
employees designated as SGEs. As a result, the Bureau has determined 
this provision is no longer needed. Therefore, the proposed regulation 
excludes SGEs from the definition of ``employee.'' This treatment of 
SGEs is consistent with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, both of which 
exclude SGEs from the definition of ``employee'' in their supplemental 
standards of ethical conduct. The proposed regulation would not relax 
or

[[Page 2922]]

otherwise affect how the criminal conflict of interest statutes and OGE 
Standards apply to SGEs. The Bureau will continue to provide ethics 
guidance and assistance to SGEs on compliance with the conflict of 
interest statutes and OGE Standards. In addition, the Bureau's Office 
of Human Capital will continue to identify and designate individuals as 
SGEs at the time the individual is appointed or retained, and will 
continue to maintain an internal tracking system of individuals who are 
designated as SGEs.
    The proposed regulation also adds the phrase ``practice of law'' to 
the definitions section. The Bureau has received multiple inquiries 
from employees as to whether a proposed outside activity would fall 
within the prohibition in Sec.  9401.105. To ensure consistency and for 
the ease of administration, the phrase ``practice of law'' would have 
the same meaning as in Rule 49 of the Rules of the District of Columbia 
Court of Appeals as of November 2016. The Bureau opted to borrow the 
definition utilized by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals 
because the majority of attorneys employed by the Bureau have a duty 
station located in the District of Columbia.
    The proposed regulation also amends the term ``spouse'' by removing 
the reference to ``legally'' in the phrase ``legally separated.'' The 
current definition explains that for purposes of the CFPB Ethics 
Regulations, an individual is not considered to be an employee's spouse 
if: (1) The employee and the employee's spouse are legally separated; 
(2) the employee and the employee's spouse live apart; (3) there is an 
intention to end the marriage or separate permanently; and (4) the 
employee has no control over the legally separated spouse's debt or 
equity interests. On several occasions the Bureau encountered confusion 
as to what constituted a ``legal separation'' because this is a 
standard defined by State law and varies depending on the State in 
which an employee resides. The proposed revision to the definition of 
``spouse'' eliminates the reference to ``legally'' in the phrase 
``legally separated.'' This proposed amendment is consistent with how 
OGE determines whether an employee is required to report information 
concerning a spouse from whom the employee is separated for purposes of 
the financial disclosure reporting requirements at 5 CFR 
2634.309(c)(2). OGE does not require a reporting individual to report 
any information about a spouse from whom the reporting individual is 
``permanently separated.'' OGE only requires the employee to be 
``permanently separated'' from the employee's spouse and does not 
require the two individuals to be ``legally separated.''
    The proposed regulation also adds the phrase ``vested legal or 
beneficial interest'' to the definitions section to clarify several 
provisions. This new definition is meant to help interpret the proposed 
amendments in Sec. Sec.  9401.106, 9401.108, and 9401.109, where the 
Bureau proposes to narrow the disqualification and reporting 
requirements with respect to trusts in which the employee or the 
employee's spouse or minor child has a vested legal or beneficial 
interest. A vested legal or beneficial interest in a trust means that 
the individual has a present legal right to its property or income, 
even though the right to possession or enjoyment may be postponed to 
some unknown time in the future. In defining this phrase, the Bureau 
relied upon 5 CFR 2634.310, where OGE explains what constitutes a 
vested beneficial interest in the principal or income of an estate or 
trust.
    The Bureau is republishing all the definitions in this section, 
including those not proposed for revision, for ease of reference.

Proposed Amended Sec.  9401.104--Additional Rules Concerning Outside 
Employment for Covered Employees

    The proposed amendments to Sec.  9401.104 are designed to balance 
several important ethical principles against an employee's right to 
engage in outside activities. Proposed Sec.  9401.104 would retain the 
existing prohibition that precludes a covered employee from engaging in 
compensated outside employment for any entity supervised by the Bureau 
or for any officer, director, or employee of such entity. The proposed 
rule adds a new prohibition on covered employees using a professional 
license related to real estate, mortgage brokerage, property 
appraisals, or property insurance for compensation. The proposed 
amendment would permit covered employees to retain these professional 
licenses but would prohibit them from engaging in outside compensated 
employment as real estate agents, mortgage brokers, property 
appraisers, real property insurance agents, or in other similar 
positions.
    The Bureau has determined this new prohibition is necessary to 
ensure that a reasonable person would not question the impartiality and 
objectivity with which covered employees perform their official Bureau 
duties in connection with financial institutions that are involved in 
real estate-related transactions. Continuing to allow covered employees 
to use these licenses for compensation would hinder CFPB in fulfilling 
its mission if members of the public question whether these employees 
are using their public office or Bureau connections for private gain by 
advancing their outside real estate-related business activities.
    The proposed rule authorizes the Designated Agency Ethics Official 
(DAEO), in consultation with senior management in the Division in which 
the employee works, to grant a limited waiver to this prohibition based 
on a written determination that a specific transaction requiring the 
use of the license would not create an appearance of loss of 
impartiality or use of public office for private gain.
    The proposed regulation expands the term ``covered employee'' to 
include all employees who work in a Bureau office where employees 
participate in the examination, investigation, or supervision of 
entities offering or providing a consumer financial product or service. 
For example, all employees in the Division of Supervision, Enforcement, 
and Fair Lending (SEFL) would be ``covered employees'' under the 
proposed rule, whereas only certain SEFL positions are covered under 
the current definition.

Proposed Amended Sec.  9401.106--Prohibited Financial Interests

    This proposed rule would amend 5 CFR 9401.106, which provides in 
paragraph (a), with certain exceptions set forth in paragraph (b), that 
no CFPB employee, or an employee's spouse or minor child, may own or 
control a security in an entity supervised by the Bureau. The proposed 
amendment of this section would clarify the scope of the prohibited 
financial interests by more clearly defining the types of financial 
interests covered by this prohibition and the exceptions to the general 
rule. The intent of the proposed amendment is to make this section 
easier for employees to understand and follow.
    The prohibited financial interests are defined in paragraph (a). 
The proposed regulation would not change the scope of financial 
interests that currently are prohibited under this section. The purpose 
of the proposed amendment is to more clearly define prohibited 
financial interests by dividing the prohibited holdings into two 
categories. The first would refer to a security in, or bonds issued by, 
an entity supervised by the Bureau. The second would refer to 
securities in a collective investment fund, such as a mutual fund, if 
the fund

[[Page 2923]]

has a stated policy of concentrating its investments in the financial 
services or banking industry. The Bureau always has interpreted the 
current rule to prohibit employees, as well as their spouses and minor 
children, from owning or controlling these collective investment funds 
(i.e., sector mutual funds), and is proposing to amend the rule to make 
this prohibition more explicit.
    The exceptions to the general prohibition are listed in paragraph 
(b). The purpose of the exceptions is to ease the restrictions on the 
financial interests of employees and their spouses and minor children 
by permitting interests of a character unlikely to raise questions 
regarding the objective and impartial performance of employees' 
official duties or the possible misuse of their positions. In 
promulgating the exemptions to the financial conflict of interest 
statute in 5 CFR part 2640, subpart B, OGE determined that certain 
financial interests are unlikely to affect an employee's official 
actions. The Bureau proposes to revise the exceptions in paragraph (b) 
to more closely conform to certain exemptions to the financial conflict 
of interest statute (18 U.S.C. 208) promulgated by OGE. The Bureau 
determined that these newly proposed exceptions will make it easier for 
Bureau employees to understand and comply with the CFPB Ethics 
Regulations, as well as the financial conflict of interest statutes.
    In paragraph (b)(1), the Bureau proposes to change the name of the 
first exception to ``collective investment funds'' to conform with the 
language of that exception but no substantive change is intended. 
Proposed paragraph (b)(2) replaces the current description for the 
widely held, diversified pension plan exception with new language that 
the Bureau intends to have the same meaning as OGE's regulatory 
exemption found at 5 CFR 2640.201(c)(iii) for diversified employee 
benefit plans. Proposed paragraph (b)(4) adds an exception for an 
interest held within a State pension plan. This exception would have 
the same meaning as OGE's exemption in 5 CFR 2640.201(c)(ii) for State 
government pension plans.
    In new paragraph (c), the proposed regulation would provide 
specific time frames for employees to notify the DAEO and divest a 
prohibited financial interest after: (1) An individual commences 
employment with the Bureau; (2) the Bureau adds a new financial 
institution to the list of entities supervised by the Bureau (i.e., the 
prohibited holdings list); or (3) an employee or an employee's spouse 
or minor child acquires a prohibited interest without specific intent, 
such as via inheritance. The proposed amendment would provide a uniform 
30-day period for notifying the DAEO, and consistent with 5 CFR 
2635.403(d), a uniform 90-day period for divestiture in each instance.
    Proposed paragraph (d) requires employees to immediately disqualify 
themselves if they or their spouses or minor children own or control a 
security prohibited by paragraph (a). Proposed paragraphs (d)(1) and 
(d)(2) explain the different disqualification standards for securities 
prohibited under proposed paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2), respectively. 
Proposed paragraph (d)(1) describes the disqualification requirements 
that apply when an employee or an employee's spouse or minor child owns 
or controls a security in an entity supervised by the Bureau. Whereas, 
proposed paragraph (d)(2) describes the more extensive disqualification 
requirements that apply when an employee or an employee's spouse or 
minor child owns or controls a security in a collective investment fund 
that has a stated policy of concentrating its investments in the 
financial services or banking industry.
    Proposed paragraph (e)(4) provides an additional factor for the 
DAEO to consider when an employee requests a waiver from the general 
prohibition in paragraph (a). It is expected that the DAEO will grant a 
waiver of the prohibitions in Sec.  9401.106 only in limited 
circumstances based on a case-by-case analysis, and only when the 
granting of the waiver would not unduly undermine the public's 
confidence in the impartiality and objectivity with which: (1) The 
employee performs his or her official duties; and (2) the Division in 
which the employee works executes its functions. Towards this end, 
proposed paragraph (e)(4) specifically includes public confidence and 
the appearance of impartiality as a factor for the DAEO to consider in 
granting a waiver.
    The CFPB Ethics Regulations currently require an employee to notify 
the DAEO in writing if a trust in which the employee or the employee's 
spouse or minor child has a legal or beneficial interest contains a 
security that the employee would be prohibited from owning or 
controlling under paragraph (a). The Bureau proposes to amend paragraph 
(f)(3) to clarify that the employee's reporting requirement only 
applies to trusts in which the employee or the employee's spouse or 
minor child has a vested legal or beneficial interest. The Bureau has 
determined that the reporting requirement in this section should apply 
only to those financial interests in which an employee or an employee's 
spouse or minor child has a present legal right to the property or 
income in the trust. As noted previously, the proposed rule would add a 
definition of ``vested legal or beneficial interest'' in Sec.  
9401.102.
    The Bureau has determined, under its authority in section 
2635.403(a) of the OGE Standards, that these proposed regulations are 
needed so that a reasonable person will not question the impartiality 
and objectivity with which the Bureau administers its agency programs.

Proposed Amended Sec.  9401.107--Prohibition on Acceptance of Credit or 
Indebtedness on Preferential Terms From an Entity Supervised by the 
Bureau

    The proposed rule would amend Sec.  9401.107, which provides that 
employees may accept credit, become indebted, or enter into other 
financial relationships with entities supervised by the Bureau, only if 
the credit, indebtedness or other financial service is offered on terms 
and conditions no more favorable than those offered to the general 
public. The proposed amendment is not intended to change the scope of 
this prohibition. The proposed rule is meant to clarify that the 
standard for entering into financial relationships with entities 
supervised by the Bureau as articulated in this section is the same 
standard that is referenced in Sec. Sec.  9401.108(b) and (e) and 
9401.109(b). The proposed rule also states that an employee or the 
employee's spouse or minor child may not accept credit from, become 
indebted to, or enter into a financial relationship with an entity 
supervised by the Bureau, if the credit, indebtedness, or financial 
relationship is otherwise prohibited by the Federal conflict of 
interest statutes, the OGE Standards, or the CFPB Ethics Regulations. 
This proposed language is intended to remind employees there are other 
government ethics rules that may affect their ability to secure credit 
or indebtedness or to enter into financial relationships.

Proposed Amended Sec.  9401.108--Restrictions on Seeking, Obtaining, or 
Renegotiating Credit From an Entity That Is or Represents a Party to a 
Matter to Which an Employee Is Assigned or May Be Assigned

    The proposed revision to 5 CFR 9401.108 would retain the existing 
general prohibitions on seeking, obtaining, or renegotiating credit or 
indebtedness, the disqualification provisions, and the exemptions from 
the disqualification requirements. The

[[Page 2924]]

Bureau proposes to restructure this section to clarify the prohibitions 
and to incorporate new exemptions.
    Under the proposed new paragraph (b), an employee or the employee's 
spouse or minor child would be permitted to seek, obtain, or 
renegotiate credit or indebtedness secured by a principal residence 
subject to five conditions. First, the credit or indebtedness must be 
secured by residential real property that is or will be the principal 
residence of the employee or the employee's spouse or minor child. 
Second, a minimum of three months must have elapsed since the employee 
stopped participating in each particular matter involving specific 
parties in which the entity from which the credit or indebtedness will 
be sought, obtained, or renegotiated was or represented a party to the 
matter. Third, the employee would be disqualified from participating in 
any particular matter involving specific parties in which the lender or 
creditor is or represents a party while the employee or the employee's 
spouse or minor child is actively seeking, obtaining, or renegotiating 
the loan or credit. Fourth, the party seeking, obtaining, or 
renegotiating the credit or indebtedness would have to satisfy all 
financial requirements that apply to applicants for the same type of 
credit or indebtedness for a residential real property. Fifth, the 
credit or indebtedness would have to be obtained on terms and 
conditions no more favorable than those offered to the general public.
    The Bureau determined that a different standard for a residential 
home loan or credit on the principal residence is necessary because the 
Bureau's general prohibition in paragraph (a) against seeking, 
obtaining, or renegotiating credit or indebtedness has been a 
significant burden on certain employees. The current prohibition 
substantially reduces the number of lending options available to 
employees when they attempt to secure funding for a principal residence 
and prevents them from full access to the competitive consumer 
financial marketplace. The five conditions upon which seeking, 
obtaining, or renegotiating a residential home loan or credit are 
contingent reduce the possibility that: (1) The employee is using the 
employee's public office for private gain; (2) a reasonable person 
would question the impartiality and objectivity with which the Bureau 
administers its programs; and (3) the borrower has obtained the loan or 
credit on more favorable terms due to the employee's work on a Bureau 
matter involving that lender.
    The Bureau notes that other financial regulatory agencies, 
including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of 
the Comptroller of the Currency, have similar exemptions for a home 
loan for an employee's principal residence. Additionally, this proposed 
amendment is consistent with the intent of the Preserving Independence 
of Financial Institution Examinations Act of 2003 (PIFIEA), which 
amended sections 212 and 213 of title 18 of the United States Code. 
These sections generally impose criminal penalties on national 
examiners borrowing from banks they examine. The PIFIEA modified those 
rules by decriminalizing extensions of credit to examiners for 
principal residential home loans from institutions that they examine or 
have authority to examine, if these loans are made on the same terms 
and conditions as are available to other borrowers. In amending 
sections 212 and 213, Congress explained that several factors supported 
the blanket residential loan exception, but most importantly, 
consolidation within the banking industry made it increasingly 
difficult for examiners to obtain nationally available mortgage loans 
and for the banking agencies to assign examiners work. Although Bureau 
employees are not subject to sections 212 and 213, the rationale for 
allowing Bureau employees, as well as their spouses and minor children, 
the ability to secure a residential home loan for their principal 
residence is the same.
    For the same reasons as stated in Sec.  9401.106, amended Sec.  
9401.108(d)(4) would limit the trust disqualification requirement to 
only those trusts in which the employee or the employee's spouse, 
domestic partner, or dependent child has a vested legal or beneficial 
interest.
    The exemptions to the general prohibition are listed in new 
paragraph (e). The proposed rule would modify the two existing 
exemptions by deleting the limitation related to insured depository 
institutions or credit unions. As a result, all consumer credit or 
charge cards regardless of the issuer, and all checking or similar 
accounts regardless of where held, would fall within an exemption.
    The proposed rule also would add a new exemption involving certain 
utility services. Under the current regulation, an employee and the 
employee's spouse and minor child are prohibited from seeking, 
obtaining, or renegotiating credit or indebtedness with any entity that 
is or was a party to a particular matter involving specific parties in 
which the employee: (1) Is currently participating; (2) is aware of the 
matter and believes it is likely the employee will participate; or (3) 
participated within the last two years. For purposes of this 
prohibition, the term ``credit'' includes ``the right granted by a 
person to a consumer to purchase property or services and defer payment 
of such.'' A number of courts have determined that this definition of 
``credit'' includes when a consumer receives gas, electricity, water, 
and cellular telephone services and receives periodic bills for the 
services used.\1\ When the Bureau originally promulgated the CFPB 
Ethics Regulations, it was not anticipated that the prohibition in this 
section would limit Bureau employees' ability to have these basic 
utility services and still be able to work on Bureau matters.
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    \1\ See, e.g., Murray v. New Cingular Wireless Servs., Inc., 523 
F.3d 719, 722 (7th Cir. 2008); Mays v. Buckeye Rural Elec. Coop., 
277 F.3d 873, 879 (6th Cir. 2002); Williams v. AT&T Wireless Servs., 
Inc., 5 F. Supp. 2d 1142, 1145 (W.D. Wash. 1998).
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    Under proposed paragraph (e)(3), the Bureau would exempt certain 
types of basic utility services used by consumers from the prohibition 
in paragraph (a) and the disqualification requirement in paragraph (d). 
Specifically, the proposed rule would add an exemption for the 
provision of telephone, cable, gas, electricity, water, or other 
similar utility services provided on credit. The Bureau has determined 
that there is no need to limit an employee's ability to work on matters 
while holding these forms of credit because they tend to involve fairly 
standardized agreements and low credit amounts. The Bureau also has 
concluded that permitting employees to have adequate access to sources 
of credit involving these types of utility services to meet their 
personal needs outweighs the incremental benefit that may be gained by 
covering these forms of credit.

Proposed Amended Sec.  9401.109--Disqualification of Employees From 
Particular Matters Involving Existing Creditors

    In addition, the proposed rule would amend 5 CFR 9401.109, which 
generally provides that an employee is disqualified from participating 
in a particular matter involving specific parties if the employee is 
aware that the employee, the employee's spouse, domestic partner, or 
dependent child, or a specified third party has credit with or is 
indebted to an entity that is or represents a party to the matter. The 
Bureau proposes to narrow the disqualification requirement regarding 
trusts and to incorporate new exemptions.
    For the same reasons as stated in Sec. Sec.  9401.106 and 9401.108, 
amended Sec.  9401.109(a)(5) would impose a

[[Page 2925]]

disqualification requirement regarding a trust only if the employee or 
the employee's spouse, domestic partner, or dependent child has a 
vested legal or beneficial interest in the trust.
    The existing regulation in paragraph (b) exempts five forms of 
credit and indebtedness from the general disqualification requirement 
as long as the person with the credit or indebtedness is not in an 
adversarial position with the entity that extended the credit or to 
which the indebtedness is owed, and the credit or indebtedness was 
offered on terms and conditions no more favorable than those offered to 
the general public. The current exemptions include: (1) Revolving 
consumer credit or charge cards issued by insured depository 
institutions or insured credit unions; (2) overdraft protection on 
checking accounts and similar accounts at insured depository 
institutions or insured credit unions; (3) educational loans; (4) loans 
on residential homes; and (5) amortizing indebtedness on consumer goods 
(e.g., automobile loans). The proposed rule would modify the first two 
existing exemptions by deleting the limitation related to insured 
depository institutions or insured credit unions. As a result, all 
consumer credit or charge cards regardless of the issuer, and all 
checking or similar accounts regardless of where held, would fall 
within an exemption.
    The proposed amendment also would add two new exemptions. The 
proposed amendment at paragraph (b)(4) would create an exemption for 
automobile leases for primarily personal (consumer) use vehicles. The 
Bureau has determined that there is no need to limit an employee's 
ability to work on matters while holding this form of credit because 
automobile leases tend to involve fairly standardized agreements and 
automobile leases are similar in nature to automobile loans, which are 
already exempted. For the same reasons as stated for Sec.  9401.108, 
amended Sec.  9401.109 also would create a new exemption for the 
provision of telephone, cable, gas, electricity, water, or other 
similar utility services on credit.

Proposed Amended Sec.  9401.111--Restrictions on Participating in 
Matters Involving Covered Entities

    The proposed rule would amend Sec.  9401.111 by reorganizing this 
section and expanding the definition of ``covered entity.'' Proposed 
paragraph (b)(1) would expand the definition to include any person for 
whom the employee is serving or seeking to serve, or has served within 
the last year, as an officer, director, trustee, general partner, 
agent, attorney, consultant, contractor, or employee. This proposal 
builds on OGE's impartiality rule at 5 CFR 2635.502(b)(iv), and is 
based on the Bureau's presumption that a reasonable person likely would 
question an employee's impartiality when the employee is participating 
in a particular matter involving specific parties in which a covered 
entity is a party or represents a party. Disqualification of the 
employee eliminates the potential for an appearance of preferential 
treatment in those instances where the employee's connection to a 
covered entity would likely raise questions regarding the 
appropriateness of actions taken by the employee or the Bureau.
    The current definition of ``covered entity'' includes, among 
others, a person for whom the employee is aware that the employee's 
parent, child, or sibling is serving or seeking to serve as an officer, 
director, trustee, general partner, agent, attorney, consultant, 
contractor, or employee. Employees have questioned whether this 
restriction extends to stepfamily members and half siblings. The 
proposed regulation in paragraph (b)(2) extends the restriction to 
stepfathers, stepmothers, stepsons, stepdaughters, stepbrothers, 
stepsisters, half-brothers, and half-sisters. The Bureau has determined 
that this proposed regulation is needed so that a reasonable person 
will not question the impartiality and objectivity with which the 
Bureau administers its agency programs.

III. Matters of Regulatory Procedure

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., as amended by 
the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (the 
RFA), requires each agency to consider the potential impact of its 
regulations on small entities, including small businesses, small 
governmental units, and small not-for-profit organizations, unless the 
head of the agency certifies that the rules will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The Director 
of the Bureau so certifies. The rule does not impose any obligations or 
standards of conduct for purposes of analysis under the RFA, and it 
therefore does not give rise to a regulatory compliance burden for 
small entities.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Bureau has determined that this proposed rule does not impose 
any new recordkeeping, reporting, or disclosure requirements on members 
of the public that would be collections of information requiring 
approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.).

List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 9401

    Conflict of interests, Government employees.

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Bureau, in 
concurrence with OGE, proposes to amend part 9401 of title 5 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations to read as follows:

PART 9401--SUPPLEMENTAL STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES 
OF THE BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION

0
1. The authority citation for part 9401 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 7301; 5 U.S.C. App. (Ethics in Government 
Act of 1978); E.O. 12674, 54 FR 15159 (April 12, 1989); 3 CFR, 1898 
Comp., p.215, as modified by E.O. 12731, 55 FR 42547 (October 17, 
1990); 3 CFR, 1990 Comp., p. 306; 5 CFR 2635.105, 2635.403, 2635.502 
and 2635.803.

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2. Section 9401.102 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  9401.102  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part:
    CFPB Ethics Regulations means the supplemental ethics standards set 
forth in this part.
    Control means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power or 
authority to manage, direct, or oversee.
    Credit has the meaning set forth in 12 U.S.C. 5481(7) and as 
further defined in regulations promulgated by the Bureau to implement 
that statute. A person may have credit without any outstanding balance 
owed.
    Dependent child has the meaning set forth in 5 CFR 2634.105(d). It 
includes an employee's son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter if:
    (1) Unmarried, under the age of 21, and living in the employee's 
household; or
    (2) Claimed as a ``dependent'' on the employee's income tax return.
    Designated Agency Ethics Official (DAEO) means the official within 
the Bureau that the Director has appointed to coordinate and manage the 
ethics program at the Bureau, under 5 CFR 2638.202(b). For purposes of 
this part, the term ``DAEO'' also includes the Alternate DAEO appointed 
under 5 CFR 2638.202(b), and a designee of the DAEO or Alternate DAEO 
unless a particular provision says an authority is reserved to the 
DAEO.
    Director means the Director of the Bureau.

[[Page 2926]]

    Domestic partner means a person with whom a Bureau employee:
    (1) Has a close and committed personal relationship and both 
parties are at least 18 years of age, are each other's sole domestic 
partner and intend to remain in the relationship indefinitely, and 
neither is married to, in a civil union with, or partnered with any 
other spouse or domestic partner;
    (2) Is not related by blood in a manner that would bar marriage 
under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the employee resides;
    (3) Is in a financially interdependent relationship in which both 
agree to be responsible for each other's common welfare and share in 
financial obligations; and
    (4) Has shared for at least six months the same regular and 
permanent residence in a committed relationship and both parties intend 
to do so indefinitely, or would maintain a common residence but for an 
assignment abroad or other employment-related, financial, or similar 
obstacle.
    Employee means an employee of the Bureau, other than a special 
Government employee.
    Entity supervised by the Bureau means a person that is subject to 
the Bureau's supervision authority pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 5514(a)(1) or 
5515(a) and in regulations promulgated thereunder, as identified on a 
list to be maintained by the Bureau.
    Indebted or indebtedness means a legal obligation under which an 
individual or borrower received money or assets on credit, and 
currently owes payment.
    Indebted to an entity means an obligation to make payments to an 
entity as a result of an indebtedness, whether originally made with 
that entity or with another entity. This includes without limitation, a 
servicer on a mortgage to whom payments are made.
    OGE Standards mean the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees 
of the Executive Branch contained in 5 CFR part 2635.
    Participate means personal and substantial participation and has 
the meaning set forth in 5 CFR 2635.402(b)(4). An employee participates 
when, for example, he or she makes a decision, gives approval or 
disapproval, renders advice, provides a recommendation, conducts an 
investigation or examination, or takes an official action in a 
particular matter, and such involvement is of significance to the 
matter. It requires more than official responsibility, knowledge, 
perfunctory involvement, or involvement on an administrative or 
peripheral issue.
    Particular matter has the meaning set forth in 5 CFR 
2635.402(b)(3). The term includes a matter that involves deliberation, 
decision, or action and is focused upon the interests of specific 
persons or a discrete and identifiable class of persons. It may include 
governmental action such as legislation, regulations, or policy-making 
that is narrowly focused on the interest of a discrete and identifiable 
class of persons.
    Particular matter involving specific parties has the meaning set 
forth in 5 CFR 2641.201(h). Such a matter typically involves a specific 
proceeding affecting the legal rights of the parties or an isolatable 
transaction or related set of transactions between identified parties. 
The term includes without limitation, a contract, audit, enforcement 
action, examination, investigation, litigation proceeding, or request 
for a ruling.
    Person has the same meaning set forth in 5 CFR 2635.102(k). It 
includes without limitation, an individual, corporation and 
subsidiaries it controls, company, association, firm, partnership, 
society, joint stock company, or any other organization or institution.
    Practice of law means the provision of legal advice or services 
where there is a client relationship of trust or reliance. One is 
presumed to be practicing law when engaging in any of the following 
conduct on behalf of another:
    (1) Preparing any legal document, including any deeds, mortgages, 
assignments, discharges, leases, trust instruments, or any other 
instruments intended to affect interests in real or personal property, 
wills, codicils, instruments intended to affect the disposition of 
property of decedents' estates, other instruments intended to affect or 
secure legal rights, and contracts except routine agreements incidental 
to a regular course of business;
    (2) Preparing or expressing legal opinions;
    (3) Appearing or acting as an attorney in any tribunal;
    (4) Preparing any claims, demands or pleadings of any kind, or any 
written documents containing legal argument or interpretation of law, 
for filing in any court, administrative agency, or other tribunal;
    (5) Providing advice or counsel as to how any of the activities 
described in subparagraphs (1) through (4) might be done, or whether 
they were done, in accordance with applicable law; or
    (6) Furnishing an attorney or attorneys, or other persons, to 
render the services described in subparagraphs (1) through (5) above.
    Security means an interest in debt or equity instruments. The term 
includes without limitation, secured and unsecured bonds, debentures, 
notes, securitized assets, commercial papers, and preferred and common 
stock. The term encompasses both current and contingent ownership 
interests; a beneficial or legal interest derived from a trust; a right 
to acquire or dispose of any long or short position in debt or equity 
interests; interests convertible into debt or equity interests; and 
options, rights, warrants, puts, calls, straddles, derivatives, and 
other similar interests. It does not include deposits; credit union 
shares; a future interest created by someone other than the employee or 
the employee's spouse or dependent child; or a right as a beneficiary 
of an estate that has not been settled.
    Special Government employee has the meaning set forth in 5 CFR 
2635.102(l).
    Spouse means an employee's husband or wife by lawful marriage, but 
does not include an employee's spouse if:
    (1) The employee and the employee's spouse are separated;
    (2) The employee and the employee's spouse live apart;
    (3) There is an intention to end the marriage or separate 
permanently; and
    (4) The employee has no control over the separated spouse's 
securities.
    Vested legal or beneficial interest means a present right or title 
to property, which carries with it an existing right of alienation, 
even though the right to possession or enjoyment may be postponed to 
some uncertain time in the future. This includes a future interest when 
one has a right, defeasible or indefeasible, to immediate possession or 
enjoyment of the property, upon the ceasing of another's interest.
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3. Section 9401.104 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  9401.104  Additional rules concerning outside employment for 
covered employees.

    (a) Prohibited outside employment with an entity supervised by the 
Bureau. A covered employee shall not engage in compensated outside 
employment for an entity supervised by the Bureau or for an officer, 
director, or employee of such entity. For purposes of this section, 
``employment'' has the same meaning as set forth in Sec.  9401.103(b) 
of this part.
    (b) Use of professional licenses related to real estate. A covered 
employee who holds a license related to real estate, mortgage 
brokerage, property appraisals, or real property insurance is 
prohibited from using such license for the production of income. The 
DAEO, in consultation with senior management in

[[Page 2927]]

the Division in which the employee works, may grant a limited waiver to 
this prohibition based on a written finding that the specific 
transaction which requires use of the license will not create an 
appearance of loss of impartiality or use of public office for private 
gain.
    (c) Definition of covered employee. For purposes of this section, 
``covered employee'' means:
    (1) An employee in the Division of Supervision, Enforcement, and 
Fair Lending;
    (2) An employee serving in an attorney position;
    (3) An employee in the Office of Research, serving as a section 
chief at Bureau pay band 71 or above or as a senior economist in the 
Compliance Analytics and Policy Section;
    (4) An employee serving in the Office of Consumer Response in an 
investigations position;
    (5) An employee required to file a Public Financial Disclosure 
Report (OGE Form 278e) under 5 CFR part 2634; or
    (6) Any other Bureau employee specified in a Bureau order or 
directive whose duties and responsibilities, as determined by the DAEO, 
require application of the prohibition on outside employment contained 
in this section to ensure public confidence that the Bureau's programs 
are conducted impartially and objectively.
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4. Section 9401.105 is amended by revising paragraphs (a) introductory 
text, (a)(1), (b)(1), and (b)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  9401.105   Additional rules concerning outside employment for 
Bureau attorneys.

    (a) Prohibited outside practice of law. In addition to the prior 
approval requirements under Sec.  9401.103 and the outside employment 
restrictions under Sec.  9401.104 of this part, an employee serving in 
an attorney position shall not engage in the practice of law outside 
the employee's official Bureau duties that might require the attorney 
to:
    (1) Take a position that is or appears to be in conflict with the 
interests of the Bureau; or
* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) In those matters in which the attorney has participated 
personally and substantially as a Government employee; or
    (2) In those matters which are the subject of the attorney's 
official responsibility.
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5. Section 9401.106 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  9401.106   Prohibited financial interests.

    (a) Prohibited interests. Except as permitted by this section, an 
employee or an employee's spouse or minor child shall not own or 
control a security in:
    (1) An entity supervised by the Bureau; or
    (2) A collective investment fund that has a stated policy of 
concentrating its investments in the financial services or banking 
industry. A collective investment fund includes, without limitation, 
mutual funds, unit investment trusts (UITs), exchange traded funds 
(ETFs), real estate investment trusts (REITs), and limited 
partnerships.
    (b) Exceptions. Interests prohibited in paragraph (a) of this 
section do not include the ownership or control of a security in:
    (1) Collective investment funds. A publicly traded or publicly 
available collective investment fund if:
    (i) The fund does not have a stated policy of concentrating its 
investments in the financial services or banking industry; and
    (ii) Neither the employee nor the employee's spouse or minor child 
exercises or has the ability to exercise control over or selection of 
the financial interests held by the fund.
    (2) Diversified employee benefit plans. A pension or other 
retirement fund, trust, or plan established or maintained by an 
employer or an employee organization, or both, to provide its 
participants with medical, disability, death, unemployment, or vacation 
benefits, training programs, day care centers, scholarship funds, 
prepaid legal services, deferred income, or retirement income (employee 
plan), provided:
    (i) The employee plan does not have a stated policy of 
concentrating its investments in any industry, business, single country 
other than the United States, or bonds of a single State within the 
United States;
    (ii) The investments of the employee plan are administered by an 
independent trustee\;\
    (iii) The employee plan's trustee has a written policy of varying 
the plan investments;
    (iv) Neither the employee nor the employee's spouse or minor child 
participates in the selection of the employee plan's investments or 
designates specific plan investments (except for directing that 
contributions be divided among several different categories of 
investments, such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, which are 
available to plan participants); and
    (v) The employee plan is not a profit-sharing or stock bonus plan.
    (3) Federal retirement and thrift savings plans. Funds administered 
by the Thrift Plan for Employees of the Federal Reserve System, the 
Retirement Plan for Employees of the Federal Reserve System, the Thrift 
Savings Plan, or a Federal government agency.
    (4) State pension plans. A pension plan established or maintained 
by a State government or any political subdivision of a State 
government for its employees.
    (c) Reporting and divestiture of prohibited interests--(1) New 
employees. Within 30 calendar days from the start of employment with 
the Bureau, an employee must notify the DAEO in writing of a financial 
interest prohibited under paragraph (a) of this section that the 
employee or the employee's spouse or minor child acquired prior to the 
start of the employee's employment with the Bureau. The employee or the 
employee's spouse or minor child shall divest prohibited securities 
within 90 days after the start of the employee's employment at the 
Bureau.
    (2) Newly prohibited interest. Within 30 days after the Bureau 
updates and internally publishes a new list of entities supervised by 
the Bureau, an employee who owns or controls, or whose spouse or minor 
child owns or controls, a security in an entity newly added to that 
list must notify the DAEO in writing. The employee or the employee's 
spouse or minor child shall divest prohibited securities within 90 days 
after internal publication of the new list.
    (3) Interests acquired without specific intent. If an employee or 
an employee's spouse or minor child acquires a financial interest 
prohibited under paragraph (a) of this section as a result of marriage, 
inheritance, or otherwise without specific intent to acquire, the 
employee must notify the DAEO in writing within 30 days of the 
acquisition. The employee or the employee's spouse or minor child shall 
divest prohibited securities within 90 days of the acquisition.
    (d) Disqualification and divestiture--(1) Securities in entities 
supervised by the Bureau. If an employee or an employee's spouse or 
minor child owns or controls a security in an entity that is prohibited 
under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the employee shall immediately 
disqualify himself or herself from participating in all particular 
matters affecting that entity, unless and until the security is 
divested or the employee is granted a waiver pursuant to paragraph (e) 
of this section and the waiver includes an

[[Page 2928]]

authorization allowing the employee to participate in such matters.
    (2) Securities in collective investment funds. If an employee or an 
employee's spouse or minor child owns or controls a security in a 
collective investment fund that is prohibited under paragraph (a)(2) of 
this section, the employee shall immediately disqualify himself or 
herself from participating in all particular matters affecting one or 
more holdings of the collective investment fund if the affected holding 
is invested in the financial services or banking industry, unless and 
until the collective investment fund is divested or the employee is 
granted a waiver pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section and the 
waiver includes an authorization allowing the employee to participate 
in such matters.
    (e) Waivers. Upon request by the employee, the DAEO in the DAEO's 
sole discretion has the authority to grant an individual waiver under 
this paragraph. The DAEO's authority to grant an individual waiver 
under this paragraph may not be delegated to any person except the 
Alternate DAEO. The DAEO, in consultation with senior management in the 
Division in which the employee works, may issue a written waiver 
permitting the employee or the employee's spouse or minor child to own 
or control a particular security that otherwise would be prohibited by 
this section, after considering all relevant factors. Relevant factors 
include, without limitation, whether:
    (1) Mitigating circumstances exist due to the way the employee or 
the employee's spouse or minor child acquired ownership or control of 
the security. Mitigating circumstances may include without limitation:
    (i) The employee or the employee's spouse or minor child acquired 
the security through inheritance, merger, acquisition, or other change 
in corporate structure, or otherwise without specific intent on the 
part of the employee or the employee's spouse or minor child; or
    (ii) The employee's spouse received the security as part of a 
compensation package in connection with employment or prior to marriage 
to the employee;
    (2) The employee makes a prompt and complete written disclosure of 
the security to the DAEO;
    (3) The disqualification of the employee from participating in 
particular matters pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section, as 
specified in the written waiver, would not unduly interfere with the 
full performance of the employee's duties; and
    (4) The granting of the waiver would not unduly undermine the 
public's confidence in the impartiality and objectivity with which:
    (i) The employee performs the employee's official Bureau duties; 
and
    (ii) The Division in which the employee works executes its programs 
and functions.
    (f) Covered third party entities. Immediately after becoming aware 
that a covered third party entity owns or controls a security that an 
employee would be prohibited from owning or controlling under paragraph 
(a) of this section, the employee shall report the interest in writing 
to the DAEO. The DAEO may require the employee to terminate the 
relationship with the covered third party entity, disqualify himself or 
herself from certain particular matters, or take other action as 
necessary to avoid a statutory violation, a violation of the OGE 
Standards, or the CFPB Ethics Regulations, including an appearance of 
misuse of position or loss of impartiality. For purposes of this 
paragraph, ``covered third party entity'' includes:
    (1) A partnership in which the employee or the employee's spouse or 
minor child is a general partner;
    (2) A partnership or closely held corporation in which the employee 
or the employee's spouse or minor child individually or jointly holds 
more than a 10 percent equity interest;
    (3) A trust in which the employee or the employee's spouse or minor 
child has a vested legal or beneficial interest;
    (4) An investment club or similar informal investment arrangement 
between the employee or the employee's spouse or minor child, and 
others;
    (5) A qualified profit sharing, retirement, or similar plan in 
which the employee or the employee's spouse or minor child has an 
interest; or
    (6) An entity in which the employee or the employee's spouse or 
minor child individually or jointly holds more than a 25 percent equity 
interest.
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6. Section 9401.107 and the section heading are revised to read as 
follows:


Sec.  9401.107  Prohibition on acceptance of credit or indebtedness on 
preferential terms from an entity supervised by the Bureau.

    An employee or the employee's spouse or minor child may not accept 
credit from, become indebted to, or enter into a financial relationship 
with an entity supervised by the Bureau, unless the credit, 
indebtedness, or other financial relationship:
    (1) Is offered on terms and conditions no more favorable than those 
offered to the general public; and
    (2) Is not otherwise prohibited by law or inconsistent with the OGE 
Standards or the CFPB Ethics Regulations.
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7. Section 9401.108 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  9401.108  Restrictions on seeking, obtaining, or renegotiating 
credit from an entity that is or represents a party to a matter to 
which an employee is assigned or may be assigned.

    (a) General rules regarding seeking, obtaining, or renegotiating 
credit or indebtedness--(1) Prohibition. While an employee is assigned 
to participate in a particular matter involving specific parties, the 
employee or the employee's spouse or minor child shall not seek, 
obtain, or renegotiate credit or indebtedness with an entity that is a 
party or represents a party to the matter. This prohibition also 
applies to a particular matter involving specific parties pending at 
the Bureau in which the employee is not currently participating but of 
which the employee is aware and believes it is likely that the employee 
will participate.
    (2) Cooling off period. The prohibition in paragraph (a)(1) of this 
section continues for two years after the employee's participation in 
the particular matter has ended.
    (b) Rules regarding credit or indebtedness secured by principal 
residence. Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, an employee 
or an employee's spouse or minor child may seek, obtain, or renegotiate 
credit or indebtedness secured by residential real property with an 
entity, subject to the following conditions:
    (1) The residential real property is or will be the principal 
residence of the employee or the employee's spouse or minor child;
    (2) A minimum of three months have passed since the end of the 
employee's participation in each particular matter involving specific 
parties in which that entity was a party or represented a party;
    (3) The employee is disqualified from participating in particular 
matters involving specific parties in which that entity is a party or 
represents a party while the employee or the employee's spouse or minor 
child is seeking, obtaining, or renegotiating the credit or 
indebtedness;
    (4) The employee or the employee's spouse or minor child seeking, 
obtaining, or negotiating the credit or indebtedness must satisfy all 
financial requirements generally applicable to all applicants for the 
same type of credit or indebtedness for residential real property; and
    (5) The credit or indebtedness is obtained on terms and conditions 
no more favorable than those offered to the general public.

[[Page 2929]]

    (c) Specific rules for employee's spouse and minor child. The 
prohibitions in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not apply 
when the employee's spouse or minor child is seeking, obtaining, or 
renegotiating credit or indebtedness and:
    (1) The credit or indebtedness is supported only by the income or 
independent means of the spouse or minor child;
    (2) The credit or indebtedness is obtained on terms and conditions 
no more favorable than those offered to the general public; and
    (3) The employee does not participate in the negotiating for the 
credit or indebtedness or serve as co-maker, endorser or guarantor of 
the credit or indebtedness.
    (d) Disqualification requirement for credit sought by person 
related to an employee. An employee shall disqualify himself or herself 
from participating in a particular matter involving specific parties as 
soon as the employee learns that any of the following persons are 
seeking, obtaining, or renegotiating credit or indebtedness with an 
entity that is or represents a party to the matter:
    (1) The employee's spouse, domestic partner, or dependent child;
    (2) A partnership in which the employee or the employee's spouse, 
domestic partner, or dependent child is a general partner;
    (3) A partnership or closely held corporation in which the employee 
or the employee's spouse, domestic partner, or dependent child 
individually or jointly owns or controls more than a 10 percent equity 
interest;
    (4) A trust in which the employee or the employee's spouse, 
domestic partner, or dependent child has a vested legal or beneficial 
interest;
    (5) An investment club or similar informal investment arrangement 
between the employee or the employee's spouse, domestic partner, or 
dependent child, and others;
    (6) A qualified profit sharing, retirement, or similar plan in 
which the employee or the employee's spouse, domestic partner, or 
dependent child has an interest; or
    (7) An entity in which the employee or the employee's spouse, 
domestic partner, or dependent child individually or jointly holds more 
than a 25 percent equity interest.
    (e) Exemptions. The following forms of credit are exempted from the 
prohibitions in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section and the 
disqualification requirement in paragraph (d) of this section, provided 
the credit is offered on terms and conditions no more favorable than 
those offered to the general public:
    (1) Revolving consumer credit or charge cards;
    (2) Overdraft protection on checking accounts and similar accounts; 
and
    (3) The provision of telephone, cable, gas, electricity, water, or 
other similar utility services provided on credit (i.e., the service is 
provided before payment is due such that consumers incur debt as they 
use the service and receive periodic bills for the services used).
    (f) Waivers. The DAEO, after consultation with senior management in 
the Division in which the employee works, may grant a written waiver 
from the prohibition in paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section or the 
disqualification requirement in paragraph (d) of this section, based on 
a determination that participation in matters otherwise prohibited by 
this section would not be prohibited by law (18 U.S.C. 208) or create 
an appearance of loss of impartiality or use of public office for 
private gain, and would not otherwise be inconsistent with the OGE 
Standards or the CFPB Ethics Regulations.
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8. Section 9401.109 is amended by:
0
a. Revising the section heading;
0
b. Revising paragraphs (a)(5) and (b)(1) through (5); and
0
c. Adding paragraphs (b)(6) and (7).
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  9401.109  Disqualification of employees from particular matters 
involving existing creditors.

    (a) * * *
    (5) A trust in which the employee or the employee's spouse, 
domestic partner, or dependent child has a vested legal or beneficial 
interest;
* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) Revolving consumer credit or charge cards;
    (2) Overdraft protection on checking accounts and similar accounts;
    (3) Amortizing indebtedness on consumer goods (e.g., automobiles);
    (4) Automobile leases for primarily personal (consumer) use 
vehicles;
    (5) The provision of telephone, cable, gas, electricity, water, or 
other similar utility services provided on credit (i.e., the service is 
provided before payment is due such that consumers incur debt as they 
use the service and receive periodic bills for the services used);
    (6) Educational loans (e.g., student loans; loans taken out by a 
parent or guardian to pay for a child's education costs); and
    (7) Loans on residential homes (e.g., home mortgages; home equity 
lines of credit).
* * * * *
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9. Section 9401.110 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  9401.110   Prohibited recommendations.

    An employee shall not make recommendations or suggestions, directly 
or indirectly, concerning the acquisition or sale or other divestiture 
of a security in an entity supervised by the Bureau, or an entity that 
is or represents a party to a particular matter involving specific 
parties to which the employee is assigned.
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10. Section 9401.111 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  9401.111  Restriction on participating in matters involving 
covered entities.

    (a) Disqualification required. Absent an authorization pursuant to 
paragraph (c) of this section, an employee shall not participate in a 
particular matter involving specific parties if a covered entity is or 
represents a party to the matter.
    (b) ``Covered entity'' defined. For purposes of this section, a 
``covered entity'' includes:
    (1) Any person for whom the employee is serving or seeking to 
serve, or has served with the last year, as officer, director, trustee, 
general partner, agent, attorney, consultant, contractor, or employee; 
or
    (2) Any person for whom the employee is aware the employee's 
spouse, domestic partner, fiancé, child, parent, sibling, 
stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, 
half-brother, half-sister, or member of the employee's household is 
serving or seeking to serve as an officer, director, trustee, general 
partner, agent, attorney, consultant, contractor, or employee.
    (c) Waivers. The DAEO may authorize the employee to participate in 
a matter that would require disqualification under paragraph (a) of 
this section, using the authorization process set forth in 5 CFR 
2635.502(d) of the OGE Standards. The DAEO will consult with senior 
management in the Division in which the employee works before issuing 
such an authorization.

    Dated: December 15, 2016.
Richard Cordray,
Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
Walter M. Shaub, Jr.,
Director, Office of Government Ethics.
[FR Doc. 2016-31596 Filed 1-9-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-AM-P