On July 16, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) (collectively, the federal banking agencies) jointly published a proposed rule...more
On May 5, the FDIC released a list of state non-member banks evaluated for compliance with the CRA during February 2025. Under the CRA, the FDIC assesses how effectively banks meet the credit needs of their entire community,...more
On May 1, the OCC released its CRA performance evaluations that became public during the month of April. The OCC evaluated 26 entities, including national banks, federal savings associations, and insured federal branches of...more
In the previous articles of this 4-part series, I identified and explained three types of fatal flaws in the 2023 CRA rule and I presented 5 suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the legacy CRA rule. In this article I...more
In the first 3 articles in this series (1, 2, 3), we identified fatal flaws in the 2023 CRA rule. In Parts 4a – 4c we propose the regulators consider potential improvements to the rule when they publish the Notice of Proposed...more
On March 3, the OCC released its CRA performance evaluations that became public during the month of November. The OCC evaluated 26 entities, including national banks, federal savings associations, and insured federal branches...more
On February 18, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order designed to reduce the power of federal independent agencies by bringing them under the purview of the White House. The Executive Order provides that it applies...more
On February 2, the OCC released its CRA performance evaluations that became public during the month of January. The OCC evaluated 20 entities, including national banks, federal savings associations, and insured federal...more
On January 29, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding its review of business combinations under the Bank Merger Act (BMA). Specifically, the OCC proposed: (i)...more
Ballard Spahr Senior Counsel Alan S. Kaplinsky and Mark J. Levin, and David Sherwyn, Professor of Law at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, today submitted lengthy comments to the Consumer Financial...more
On Wednesday, by a vote of 53-44, the Senate voted to approve S.J. 32, the resolution introduced under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to override the CFPB’s final Section 1071 small business lending rule (1071 Rule)....more
On July 26, 2022, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued an update to its 2013 policy statement on minority depository institutions (MDIs). Changes to the policy statement include: (i) clarifying the...more
We join the nation in mourning the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Over her 20-year career before appointment to the D.C. circuit court, Justice Ginsburg fought for equal rights in the workplace, among...more
Editor's Note - Differing Priorities? On June 14, Comptroller of the Currency Joseph M. Otting testified before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, addressing his priorities for the Office of the...more
On January 20, 2017, businessman Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States following a contentious and unconventional 2016 presidential election. Republicans also successfully maintained control...more
For the first time in my memory, the Congress passed a joint resolution to disapprove a final regulation of a federal agency—in this case the CFPB and the rule was related to arbitration clauses in contracts for consumer...more
Financial Industry Developments - Agencies Issue Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Enhanced Cyber Risk Management Standards - On October 19, 2016, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance...more
Consistent with recent indications from CFPB and Department of Justice officials that more redlining cases would soon be coming, the CFPB and DOJ have announced a proposed consent order with Hudson City Savings Bank to settle...more
Many big cities in the United States responded to the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis by passing local laws which pressure banks to invest more in low-income neighborhoods. Between 2010 and 2013, cities such as New...more
This week, the Ferguson Commission released an analysis of the socio-economic environment following the shooting of Michael Brown that included recommendations for financially strengthening lower-income areas. The Commission,...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced a settlement with a company that services auto loans for alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) “Furnisher Rule.” The settlement serves as a reminder...more
On August 15, 2015, the CFPB released its latest “consumer complaint snapshot.” The Bureau’s “snapshots” generally provide updated national complaint information, and further include product and geographic spotlights that...more