Peter Barrett
Director of Government Affairs
Peter Barrett is Director of Government Affairs for The Financial Literacy Group, bringing 20 years of experience to bear on behalf of clients. During his time in Washington, Mr. Barrett has become familiar with the issues, organizations and individuals who drive the policy making process in both the executive and legislative branches of government.
Prior to joining The Financial Literacy Group, Mr. Barrett was appointed to serve as Director of Outreach for the Office of Financial Education at the US Department of the Treasury during the economic crisis of 2008. There he worked with the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) Recruiting Committee to establish criteria, evaluate resumes and interview candidates for employment with TARP. Mr. Barrett also served as Treasury’s liaison to the sixteen-member President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy and collaborated closely with the Treasury’s Office of Legislative Affairs and the Office of Public Affairs.
Before serving at Treasury, Mr. Barrett was appointed to serve as Chief of Staff to the National Credit Union Administration, an organization which oversaw 8,500 credit unions. There, Mr. Barrett worked closely with Congress and the Federal Financial Examination Council to implement major initiatives including the reduction of subprime mortgage risk, the institution of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, changes to the Deposit Insurance System, reincorporation of Federal Credit Union Bylaws into NCUA regulations, and the prohibition of unfair and deceptive credit card and overdraft service practices. While with NCUA, Mr. Barrett also implemented policy in the areas of membership, investment policy, lending regulations, corporate credit unions, and agency restructuring.
In addition to his time with Treasury and NCUA, Barrett has also spent time in a number of roles on Capitol Hill, including Senior Council for the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee. While a Counsel to the Full Committee, he was responsible for overseeing the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit for the Chairman. Barrett provided legal counsel, drafted legislation, organized legislative and oversight hearings, and developed strategies with the financial services industry to pass bills into law. Legislative accomplishments include: the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003; Deposit Insurance Reform Act; Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act; Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act; and Financial Netting Improvements Act of 2006.
Barrett also served on the U.S. Senate Banking Committee. While there, he prepared research and hearing briefs on Committee issues, including Securities Litigation Reform, Glass-Steagall Reform, and Regulatory Relief and the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act.
Barrett received a JD from the University of Notre Dame Law School and a BA from Brown University. He is a member of the Barristers, the Exchequer Club, and the John Carroll Society.
