Senate votes to overturn rule against racial discrimination in auto loans News
Senate votes to overturn rule against racial discrimination in auto loans

The US Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution [text, PDF] expressing disapproval for a rule intended to prevent racial discrimination in auto loans.

The original rule was issued [bulletin, PDF] in 2013 by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and was titled the “Indirect Auto Lending and Compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.” Under this rule, automobile lenders were not allowed to discriminate against minorities by increasing their interest rates or otherwise charging them higher fees.

Congress is able to overturn these kinds of rules under the Congressional Review Act [text].

The Senate voted [roll call vote] to overturn this rule, 51-47, with 2 members not voting. The decision whether to repeal the rule is now in the House, where it has yet to be taken up.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Montgomery started racially-integrated bus service after boycott

On December 21, 1956, buses in Montgomery, Alabama, started racially integrated service following federal court rulings ending on-board segregation. Bus boycott leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were among the first riders under the new scheme. Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Stalin born

On December 21, 1879, Joseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia. In 1922, he became leader of the USSR until his death in 1953. During his time as Soviet dictator, Stalin industrialized his country, which he then led to become one of the world's two superpowers after WWII. Through his infamous purges, show trials and nationwide famines, Stalin also became responsible for millions of deaths.