{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://benniethompson.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-bennie-g-thompson-files-complaint-department-treasury", "Congressman Bennie G. Thompson Files Complaint with the Department of Treasury", "2023-12-15", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "MS", "Bennie G. Thompson", "T000193", "benniethompson.house.gov", "benniethompson", "https://benniethompson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "[Washington, D.C.] \u2013 Representative Bennie G. Thompson (MS02) has filed a complaint with the Department of Treasury and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. BankPlus\u2019 decision to close its only branch in the town of Pickens, Mississippi leaves no other alternative, but to file a formal complaint with the Department of Treasury and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on behalf of the citizens of Pickens Mississippi. (See attached letter.)\n\nWith the closing of this branch, the town of Pickens is left without a branch to transact business. The proposed solution of an ITM machine does not meet the requirements of this underserved minority and elderly population.\n\nBankPlus/BancPlus Corporation, was established in 1909 in Belzoni, Mississippi, to \u201cenrich lives and build stronger communities.\u201d This $7 billion corporation currently has eighty-four locations between Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, primarily serving Central Mississippi and the Mississippi Delta.\n\nIn 2000, BankPlus was named a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), which allows the bank to receive federal monies to focus on underserved and economically distressed communities. The institution has since received about $350 million in federal funds to support communities like the town of Pickens. Just this year, BankPlus received federal monies to support its purpose of enriching lives and building a stronger community, but instead, has decided to close its doors as the only financial institution in Pickens, Mississippi.\n\n\u201cThe departure of BankPlus places roughly 40% of citizens in Pickens with nowhere to make their financial transactions. Pickens has no public transportation, a large elderly population, and citizens on fixed incomes. The closure of this bank is yet another hardship for this community. BankPlus made a promise to enrich lives and help underserved communities but has decided to do the opposite of what they promised,\u201d said Paulette Moore, Mayor of Pickens.\n\nMayor Moore went on to say, \u201cBankPlus leaving, places a hardship for the town of Pickens. There is not much in Pickens, and with the bank closing, it will be hard for the town to maintain a strong economic base. I am completely against the departure of BankPlus and have asked them to stay.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://benniethompson.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-bennie-g-thompson-files-complaint-department-treasury"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0281680151820183, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}