The American Bankers Association (ABA) along with 50 state bankers associations, the DC Bankers Association and Puerto Rico Bankers Association sent a letter (the “ABA Letter”) to the Federal Reserve “in strong opposition to the Federal Reserve’s misguided proposal to reduce the regulated interchange cap under Regulation II, and to ask that the proposal be withdrawn pending a rigorous study of this proposal’s impacts and the cumulative impacts of the tsunami of newly finalized and pending regulations from the banking agencies.”… Continue Reading
Federal Reserve Board
Senator Durbin attempts to revive Durbin 2.0 with Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in April and solicits testimony from Visa, Mastercard, United Airlines and American Airlines CEOs
On April 9, 2024, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on credit card competition. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) requested testimony at the hearing from the following Chief Executive Officers who have publicly opposed his Credit Card Competition Act: Ryan McInerney (Visa), Michael Miebach (Mastercard), Scott Kirby (United Airlines), and Robert Isom (American Airlines).… Continue Reading
Trade groups file lawsuit in Texas federal court challenging final OCC/FDIC/Federal Reserve Community Reinvestment Act rules
Several national and Texas banking and business trade groups have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas challenging the final regulations (Final Rules) implementing the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA) that were jointly adopted in October 2023 by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Federal Reserve Board (Agencies). … Continue Reading
New research suggests proposed Regulation II revisions lowering debit card interchange fees will cost consumers up to $2 billion annually
In October 2023, the Federal Reserve Board issued a proposal to lower the maximum interchange fee that a large debit card issuer can receive for a debit card transaction. The due date for comments on this proposal, originally February 12, 2024, has been extended to May 12, 2024. The Consumer Bankers Association (CBA) recently commissioned research on debit card interchange fee limits and the potential implications if the proposal to reduce debit interchange caps is finalized.… Continue Reading
This week’s podcast episode: Understanding the Federal Reserve Board proposal to lower interchange fee cap for debit card transactions
Our special guest is Zarik Khan, Founder of Finsolute Advisors. In October 2023, the Federal Reserve Board issued a proposal to lower the maximum interchange fee that a large debit card issuer can receive for a debit card transaction. We first look at the roles of the various parties involved in a typical transaction in which a consumer uses a debit card to make a purchase from a merchant and the various fees imposed in connection with the transaction. … Continue Reading
Federal Reserve extends comment period for debit card interchange fee rulemaking
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (the “Board”) has announced that it is extending the comment period for its proposed changes to its debit card interchange fee rule until May 12, 2024. Comments were originally due on February 12, 2024.
On October 25, 2023, the Board issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Regulation II.… Continue Reading
Banking and Non-Banking Industries Voice Concern Over Basel III Endgame Proposal’s Potentially Significant Negative Impact on Consumers
On September 18, 2023, the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency jointly published and sought comments on a proposal to implement new, standardized capital requirements that would, among other things, increase capital requirements for banks with $100 billion or more in total assets.… Continue Reading
SCOTUS to hear oral argument on February 20 to determine timing for facial challenges to federal regulations
The U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled oral argument for Tuesday, February 20, 2024 in Corner Post, Inc. v Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The question that the Supreme Court will decide is when a right of action first accrues for an Administrative Procedure Act (APA) Section 702 challenge to a final rule issued by a federal agency—when the final rule is issued or when the rule first causes injury.… Continue Reading
This week’s podcast episode: Community Reinvestment Act reform: a close look at the final rule
On October 24, 2023, the OCC, FDIC and Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System jointly adopted final amendments to their regulations implementing the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA). In this episode, which repurposes a webinar, we are joined by guest speaker Kenneth H. Thomas, Ph.D., Founder/CEO of Community Development Fund Advisors. … Continue Reading
The New CRA: Understanding the final rule and its impact on large, intermediate, and small banks; Ballard Spahr to hold webinar on Dec. 6
This is our third blog post on the final rule issued on October 24, 2023 by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency amending their regulations implementing the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) (the “Final Rule”). … Continue Reading