US Congress Should End Extortionate Interest Rates

Expand © Seth Anderson/Flickr The United States Congress is considering a bill that would make it easier for many Americans to take out loans and still be able to make ends meet. Nearly 4 in 10 Americans don’t have enough in savings to cover unexpected costs. In an emergency, taking a loan is the only way to pay those bills. Predatory lenders, like those providing payday loans, have filled this gap, often in poor neighborhoods and communities of color. But payday loan interest rates average more than 300 percent and charge large penalties when they aren’t repaid on time. Borrowers struggling…

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