The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) congratulated members of Congress for today’s enactment of bipartisan housing legislation that includes a community banking title of ICBA-advocated regulatory relief to promote lending and housing affordability.
“ICBA and the nation’s community banks applaud today’s enactment of bipartisan housing legislation with pro-community bank reforms that will promote lending and housing affordability, a demonstration of community banks’ strong bipartisan support in Washington,” ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey said. “We thank lawmakers for prioritizing and enacting this bipartisan legislation, which will help community banks promote access to credit in local communities nationwide.”
The legislation includes provisions supported by ICBA and state community banking groups to:
- Allow community banks to hold custodial deposits and more reciprocal deposits without them being considered brokered deposits, which are subject to restrictions.
- Provide an 18-month exam cycle and other exam relief for banks with up to $6 billion in assets.
- Promote the formation of de novo community banks by streamlining the application process.
- Create a two-year pilot program to promote the creation of de novo banks, especially in rural areas, by providing more regulatory, capital, and lending flexibility.
- Establish a Treasury Financial Agent program enabling partnerships between minority depository institutions, rural community banks, and other financial institutions.
- Require the federal banking agencies to study improving the growth, capital adequacy, and profitability of rural depository institutions.
These are ICBA priorities laid out in its open letter to the 119th Congress and in Romero Rainey’s testimony last year at the House Financial Services Committee’s first hearing of the 119th Congress.
ICBA now urges the House to take up and pass the Main Street Capital Access Act, comprehensive legislation championed by House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill that includes more than two dozen community bank priorities. ICBA looks forward to continuing to work with Congress and the administration to advance this important measure to help community banks better serve consumers, small businesses, farmers, and local communities.