Democratic Senators Andy Kim of New Jersey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts are challenging acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Russell Vought over recent modifications to the agency’s consumer complaint portal, arguing the changes are designed to reduce the volume of complaints filed against major credit reporting agencies.
In a letter obtained by The Hill, the lawmakers pressed Vought on updates rolled out last month, noting that 88% of the bureau’s consumer complaints last year involved credit or consumer reporting. The senators warned the new system could deter individuals from seeking help, particularly those with limited digital access.
The CFPB has said it worked with credit reporting firms to address what it described as limitations in the portal’s effectiveness. But Kim and Warren countered that the adjustments come at the expense of consumers, who now face “heavy-handed and intentionally misleading statements” when trying to file a grievance.
The updated portal now instructs consumers to first dispute inaccuracies directly with credit bureaus and wait 45 days before submitting a complaint to the CFPB. The senators argue no such waiting period is legally required under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which they describe as establishing a “non-mandatory process” for disputes. “The CFPB’s new screening alert does not align with the statute, nor does it reflect the reality of many individuals who file complaints,” they wrote.
Kim and Warren also raised concerns about new two-factor authentication requirements, which mandate verification via email and phone, potentially blocking older or unhoused individuals from accessing the portal. They pointed out that the changes closely mirror recommendations made earlier this year by the credit reporting industry, pressing Vought on how those suggestions influenced the bureau’s decision.
The letter further criticized Vought’s broader leadership, accusing him of weakening the agency’s enforcement capacity and slashing its workforce. “Instead of spending time strengthening the CFPB—an agency that has returned over $21 billion to consumers cheated by big banks and corporations—you and President Trump have spent the last year and a half finding ways to gut the agency’s enforcement capabilities,” the senators wrote.
Vought is scheduled to testify before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday, where both Kim and Warren serve. The acting director, who faces heavy Democratic criticism over his tenure, took over in February 2025 and initially sought to halt the agency’s operations and close its headquarters. Members of the now-disbanded Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, later pushed to cut the CFPB’s workforce, though courts blocked those efforts.
During a House Financial Services Committee hearing on Wednesday, Democrats slammed Vought’s record and celebrated his anticipated departure, reportedly set for August. The lawmakers framed the portal changes as part of a broader pattern of undermining consumer protections. “Your decision to roll out an updated consumer complaint system that discourages consumers from seeking assistance from the agency is yet another step in this troubling trend,” they concluded.
