DOCSLIB.ORG

CRA Decision #89 March 1999

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
CRA Decision #89 March 1999 Comptroller of the Currency Administrator of National Banks Washington, D.C. CRA Decision #89 March 1999 DECISION OF THE OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY ON THE APPLICATIONS OF BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL TRUST AND SAVINGS ASSOCIATION, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, BANK OF AMERICA TEXAS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, DALLAS, TEXAS, AND NATIONSBANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA February 19, 1999 _____________________________________________________________________________ I. INTRODUCTION These applications are part of the process of combining the banking operations of the subsidiary banks of the recently formed BankAmerica Corporation.1 In these applications, the branch banking operations in two states in which there is overlap -- New Mexico and Texas -- will be combined.2 On November 25, 1998, Bank of America National Trust and Savings Association (“BANTSA”), San Francisco, California, and NationsBank, National Association, Charlotte, North Carolina (“NationsBank”), filed applications with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") that would result in BANTSA’s branches in New Mexico becoming branches of NationsBank. Both BANTSA and NationsBank currently operate branches in New Mexico.3 1 NationsBank Corporation, Charlotte, North Carolina, merged with the former BankAmerica Corporation, San Francisco, California, with the resulting holding company taking the name BankAmerica Corporation. See Order approving the Merger of NationsBank Corporation and BankAmerica Corporation, 84 Fed. Res. Bull. 858 (August 17, 1998). 2 A separate application for the merger of Bank of America National Trust and Savings Association and NationsBank, N.A., filed on December 28, 1998, will combine the remainder of the two banks’ branch operations in other states. 3 These branches in New Mexico resulted from earlier transactions. See Applications to Merge Five Affiliated Banks into Bank of America National Trust and Savings Association (OCC Corporate Decision No. 96-67, November - 2 - The banks propose to effect the reorganization of the New Mexico branches through a series of steps: (1) BANTSA will establish an interim national bank, Interim Bank of America (NM), National Association, with its main office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, (“New Mexico Interim”) as a subsidiary of BANTSA. (2) BANTSA will contribute all its New Mexico assets (including its New Mexico branches) to New Mexico Interim, and New Mexico Interim will assume all of BANTSA’s New Mexico liabilities (the “New Mexico Branch Transfer”). (3) BANTSA will dividend all the stock of New Mexico Interim to its immediate parent holding company, NB Holdings Corporation (“NB Holdings”). (4) New Mexico Interim will merge with and into NationsBank, under NationsBank’s charter and title, under 12 U.S.C. § 215a, with NationsBank retaining the former BANTSA branches under 12 U.S.C. § 36(b) (the “New Mexico Merger”). These transactions will occur in sequence at substantially the same time.4 Also on November 25, 1998, NationsBank and Bank of America Texas, National Association, Dallas, Texas, (“Bank of America Texas”) applied to the OCC for approval to merge Bank of America Texas with and into NationsBank, under NationsBank’s charter and title, under 12 U.S.C. § 215a, with NationsBank retaining Bank of America Texas’ main office and branches under 12 U.S.C. § 36(b) (the “Texas Merger”). II. LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR THE TRANSACTIONS A. Formation of New Mexico Interim. The National Bank Act authorizes the chartering of national banks.5 OCC regulations set out special requirements and procedures for chartering a national bank that is an “interim bank” -- i.e., a national bank that does not operate independently but exists solely as a vehicle for a business combination.6 The transaction for which New Mexico Interim is being established (the 29, 1996); Decision on the Application to Merge Boatmen’s National Bank of Arkansas, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Twenty-Five Other Affiliated Banks with NationsBank, N.A. (OCC Corporate Decision No. 97-75, August 7, 1997). In addition, BANTSA had other branches in New Mexico that were divested to an unaffiliated bank in December 1998. The divested branches are not involved in the proposed transaction. 4 The effect of the proposed transactions is the same as if NationsBank had acquired the New Mexico branches directly from BANTSA in a purchase and assumption transaction. Such a direct purchase and assumption transaction would have been permissible; and NationsBank’s acquisition of the additional branches in New Mexico would have been authorized under 12 U.S.C. § 36(c). The banks believe the proposed structure is more tax-efficient. 5 See, e.g., 12 U.S.C. §§ 21, 26 & 27. 6 See 12 C.F.R. § 5.33(e)(4). A “business combination” includes the assumption of deposit liabilities and mergers between affiliated national banks. 12 C.F.R. § 5.33(d)(1) & (d)(2). In addition, interim federally-chartered - 3 - transfer of branches from BANTSA to NationsBank by means of the New Mexico Branch Transfer and the New Mexico Merger) constitutes a business combination. The requirements of section 5.33, with respect to interim banks, as well as those in 12 U.S.C. §§ 21, 26 and 27 for chartering a new bank, are satisfied. The establishment of New Mexico Interim is authorized. New Mexico Interim will be initially established as a subsidiary of BANTSA. New Mexico Interim will consist solely of existing business of BANTSA; it is being formed to facilitate the business reorganization with NationsBank; and New Mexico Interim will be a subsidiary of BANTSA for only a moment in time before it is transferred to NB Holdings and merged into NationsBank. BANTSA’s establishment and ownership of New Mexico Interim is authorized under 12 U.S.C. § 24(Seventh) and 12 C.F.R. § 5.34. Accordingly, the formation of New Mexico Interim is authorized. B. Transfer of New Mexico branches from BANTSA to New Mexico Interim. Immediately after the formation of New Mexico Interim, New Mexico Interim will assume by contribution the assets and liabilities associated with the New Mexico branches of BANTSA, including the branches themselves. National banks have long been authorized to purchase bank- permissible assets and assume bank-permissible liabilities from other institutions, including assuming the deposit liabilities from other depository institutions, as part of their general banking powers under 12 U.S.C. § 24(Seventh).7 Such purchase and assumption transactions are commonplace in the banking industry. In addition, as a result of the transaction, New Mexico Interim will obtain the New Mexico branch locations of BANTSA. A national bank may establish branches at any point within the state in which the national bank is situated, if such establishment is authorized for state banks by state law. 12 U.S.C. § 36(c). New Mexico permits statewide branching by New Mexico state-chartered banks. N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 58-5-2, 58-5-3. Thus, New Mexico Interim’s retention of the branches is authorized under section 36(c). Accordingly, the transfer of the New Mexico branches from BANTSA to New Mexico Interim is authorized. C. Dividend of stock in New Mexico Interim. Immediately after the New Mexico Branch Transfer, all of the shares of New Mexico Interim will be dividended from BANTSA to NB Holdings. The purpose of the dividend is to cause New Mexico Interim and NationsBank to be direct subsidiaries of the same entity, NB depository institutions that are chartered by the appropriate federal banking agency and will not open for business, such as New Mexico Interim, are FDIC-insured upon issuance of the institution’s charter by the agency. See 12 U.S.C. § 1815(a)(2). 7 See, e.g., City National Bank of Huron v. Fuller, 52 F.2d 870, 872-73 (8th Cir. 1931); In re Cleveland Savings Society, 192 N.E.2d 518, 523-24 (Ohio Com. Pl. 1961). See also 12 U.S.C. § 1828(c)(3) (purchase and assumption transactions included among transactions requiring review under the Bank Merger Act). - 4 - Holdings, prior to their merger. Dividends in kind are permissible for national banks under 12 C.F.R. § 5.66, subject to OCC approval. D. The Merger of New Mexico Interim and Bank of America Texas into NationsBank. Immediately after the dividend of the shares of New Mexico Interim from BANTSA to NB Holdings, New Mexico Interim and Bank of America Texas will be merged into NationsBank. NationsBank currently operates branches in both New Mexico and Texas. Thus, this merger is a merger between an existing interstate national bank and other national banks in states in which the interstate bank already has branches. Such mergers may be authorized under 12 U.S.C. § 215a, and the resulting bank may retain the offices of the banks as branches under 12 U.S.C. § 36(b)(2), if the transaction involves the acquisition of branches. If the resulting bank has fiduciary powers, as NationsBank does here, it is authorized to exercise them at all its branches in all the states in which it operates, and it succeeds to the fiduciary powers and appointments of the merging banks. The OCC previously has considered such applications under section 215a on numerous occasions. The Riegle-Neal Act did not change existing authority under section 215a. This merger does not raise new issues, but only the application of established precedent for applying section 215a to interstate national banks. Only a summary of the analysis will be presented here; earlier OCC decisions should be consulted for a more complete discussion. 1. New Mexico Interim and Bank of America Texas may be merged into NationsBank under 12 U.S.C. § 215a. The general authority and procedures for national banks to merge with other national banks, or with state banks, is contained in section 3 of the National Bank Consolidation and Merger Act, 12 U.S.C.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Banking & Finance
    December 5, 2011 Banking & Finance passage of the NBA and the creation of the OCC resulted in a “dual National Banks banking system,” in which federally-chartered banks operate in one system governed by one set of regulations at the national level and state-chartered banks operate in parallel systems subject to Federal Preemption laws and regulations at the state level. One feature of the dual banking system that has enabled it to function smoothly is that federal banking laws and regulations The Future of Preemption preempt state banking laws in many instances. Indeed, in the 150 years since the NBA was passed, the Supreme Court has Under the National Bank Act “repeatedly made clear that federal control shields national banking from unduly burdensome and duplicative state in the Wake of Dodd-Frank regulation.”5 Proponents of preemption in this context have always argued that the national banking system is essential to the development of multi-state markets for products, thus promoting economic prosperity and growth.6 They contend that national banks would not be able to serve this goal if they were subjected to state- by-state regulation, especially given the extensive regulations Contributed by Stephen A. Fogdall and Christopher A. established by the NBA and the OCC.7 Reese, Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP For years, national banks received the benefit of federal regulations granting them immunity from any “state laws that The Barnett Bank Preemption Standard obstruct, impair, or condition a national bank’s ability to fully Supreme Court case law generally recognizes three forms of exercise its powers to conduct activities authorized under Federal preemption: express preemption, field preemption, and conflict 1 law.” The passage of the Dodd-Frank Act has invalidated these preemption.8 Express preemption exists when there is “language regulations and cast the precise scope of the federal preemption in the federal statute that reveals an explicit congressional intent 2 of state banking laws into doubt.
    [Show full text]
  • Barnett Bank Brings the Business of Insurance to the Attention of Congress
    University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review Volume 20 Issue 1 Article 4 1997 Barnett Bank Brings the Business of Insurance to the Attention of Congress Jeffrey H. Thomas Follow this and additional works at: https://lawrepository.ualr.edu/lawreview Part of the Banking and Finance Law Commons, and the Insurance Law Commons Recommended Citation Jeffrey H. Thomas, Barnett Bank Brings the Business of Insurance to the Attention of Congress, 20 U. ARK. LITTLE ROCK L. REV. 129 (1997). Available at: https://lawrepository.ualr.edu/lawreview/vol20/iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Bowen Law Repository: Scholarship & Archives. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review by an authorized editor of Bowen Law Repository: Scholarship & Archives. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BARNETT BANK BRINGS THE BUSINESS OF INSURANCE TO THE ATTENTION OF CONGRESS Jeffrey H. Thomas* I. INTRODUCTION The decision of the United States Supreme Court in Barnett Bank of Marion County, N.A. v. Nelson' represents a significant victory for national banks in their struggle to dominate the financial services industry. Since winning a series of decisions which upheld Federal Reserve Board determina- tions that banks, bank holding companies, and their affiliates could engage in certain securities activities,2 banks have focused intently on the marketing and sale of insurance products. Encouraged by the Comptroller of the Currency and the Supreme Court3 and fueled by an increasing appetite for additional fee income,4 national banks have proved themselves to be powerful engines for marketing and selling of annuities.5 In fact, since banks have entered the annuities market over the past two years, variable annuities have become one of the most popular investment vehicles.6 * B.A., University of Arkansas (1984); J.D., University of Arkansas (1987).
    [Show full text]
  • CRA Decision #94 June 1999
    Comptroller of the Currency Administrator of National Banks Washington, D.C. CRA Decision #94 June 1999 DECISION OF THE OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY ON THE APPLICATION TO MERGE BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL TRUST AND SAVINGS ASSOCIATION, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AND NATIONSBANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA May 20, 1999 _____________________________________________________________________________ I. INTRODUCTION On December 28, 1998, Bank of America National Trust and Savings Association (“BANTSA”), San Francisco, California, and NationsBank, National Association, Charlotte, North Carolina (“NationsBank”), applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") for approval to merge NationsBank with and into BANTSA under BANTSA’s charter under 12 U.S.C. §§ 215a-1, 1828(c) and 1831u (the “Merger”). The resulting bank will be named “Bank of America, National Association” (“BofA-Resulting”) and will have its main office in Charlotte, North Carolina.1 Both banks are insured banks. BANTSA has its main office in California and, at the proposed consummation date for the Merger, will operate branches in California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Illinois, New York, and Florida.2 NationsBank has its main office in North Carolina and operates branches in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, 1 This application is part of the process of combining the banking operations of the subsidiary banks of the recently formed Bank of America Corporation (“New BAC”). NationsBank Corporation, Charlotte, North Carolina, merged with the former BankAmerica Corporation (“BankAmerica”), San Francisco, California. The resulting holding company is named Bank of America Corporation and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
    [Show full text]
  • GREAT FLORIDA BANK March 19, 2010 to the SHAREHOLDERS
    GREAT FLORIDA BANK March 19, 2010 TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF GREAT FLORIDA BANK You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Great Florida Bank which will be held at the main office of the Bank at 15050 N.W. 79th Court, Suite 200, Miami Lakes, Florida, on Thursday, April 29, 2010 beginning at 10:00 a.m. At the Annual Meeting you will be asked to consider and vote upon the reelection of the directors to serve until the next Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Shareholders also will consider and vote upon such other or further business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof. We hope you can attend the meeting and vote your shares in person. In any case, we would appreciate your promptly voting and submitting your proxy by Internet, or by completing, signing and dating and returning your proxy form. This action will ensure that your preferences will be expressed on the matters that are being considered. If you are able to attend the meeting, you may vote your shares in person. We want to thank you for your support during the past year. If you have any questions about the Proxy Statement, please do not hesitate to call us. Sincerely, M. Mehdi Ghomeshi President and Chief Executive Officer GREAT FLORIDA BANK NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 29, 2010 Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Great Florida Bank (the “Bank”) will be held at the main office of the Bank at 15050 N.W.
    [Show full text]
  • File a Complaint About Bank of America
    File A Complaint About Bank Of America Which Danny looks so phonetically that Yves Aryanizing her utricle? Cosy Winny inclose flimsily. Uncomforted Redmond sometimes undersupply any periodical apostatizing fertilely. Access to the Sites is by invitation only to financial institutions as defined under said Law Concerning Foreign Securities Firms. The Department does not regulate national banks eg Bank of America Wells Fargo. It is expected that more restaurants, so I froze the account using the website and called the claims department. Online banking institutions hold or filing of banks, about driving meaningful digital user experience a link to a reversal yet to the automated voice was. What happens with bank of luck with bank has a jury trial period because the first data and to the world are filed a big bank. While it covers a origin of different kinds of consumer complaints, I believe your blood trail on payment their hands. File a complaint with people of America customer feedback department Best contact info for sight of America corporate headquarters with 1-00 phone number. Bank of America Elliott Advocacy. When I call and told the guy at Bank of America my story. We followed by borrowers on this type of their standard and cicc declined, contact people should view of america of america if i forgot or. Enter your last name, account information, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia. BOA does not offer it so I need to go elsewhere to open this type of account; which is a pain since all my banking accounts are with Bank of America.
    [Show full text]
  • ABN & AMRO Aetna Insurance Company A.G. Edwards AIM Funds
    ABN & AMRO First Union Bank Nations Bank Aetna Insurance Company Foundation Source Nations Funds A.G. Edwards FMC Corporation Natus Medical AIM Funds General Electric Network Software Associates American Express Genosys Biotechnologies, Inc. Nortel Network American General Securities Genworth Financial Northrop Grumman American Polygraph Assoc. George Mason University Norwest American University George Washington University Novametrix Medical AmeriStar Investments Glenfed Brokerage Service Park City Group Arvest, Inc. Goldman Sachs Paul Revere Insurance Group AT & T Granite Rock Puritan Bennett B.B.& T. Investment Services Gruntle Quick & Reilly Baan Corporation Guaranty Bank Ralston Purina Baltimore County Police Harvard University Raymond James Bank of America H.D. Vest Financial Services RiverSource Investments Bank of Oklahoma Hibernia Roney & Co. Bank South Investment Ser- Huntington Investment Co San Diego Business Journal vice Hy-Vee Corporation Sanwa Bank Bankmark IKON Office Solutions, Inc. Smith Barney BankOne InterContinental Hotels Group SouthTrust Securities, Inc. Barnett Bank Investment Centers of America Spaulding & Slye, Real Estate Black & Decker Janus Funds State Street Global Advisors Brenton Brokerage Services Jobson Marketing Sun America Securities, Inc. British Aerospace KCH Services, Inc. Sun Financial Group Brownell Travel Kinkos Copy Centers Sun Trust Bank Brookhaven Laboratories Kirkpatrick / Pettis Synovus Securities, Inc. Cabela’s L-3 Communications TDS Telecom California Federal Bank Lederle Laboratories Time Warner CCB Investor Services Legg Mason Total Gas Corporation Chemical Investment Services Liberty Funds Toyota Chubb Securities Lincoln Property Co. Trustmark Financial Services CIMB Bank Malaysia MACRO Consulting Group Union Bank Investment Citicorp Mallinckrodt, Inc. United Motor Coach Assoc. Columbia Management Group Mark Twain Brokerage University of Houston Comet Industries Marcus Evans U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Actions Ofthe Board, Its Staff, and the Federal Reserve Banks: Applications and Reports Received
    ----~=~ ~ --- -~====== Federal Reserve Release H.2 Actions ofthe Board, Its Staff, and the Federal Reserve Banks: Applications and Reports Received No. 41 Week Ending October 11, 1997 1" ; Board o/Governors o/the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551 No. 41 ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS TESTIMONY AND STATEMENTS to Bank: examination and supervision systems -- statement by Governor Phillips before the House Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit of the House Banking and Financial Services Committee, October 8, 1997. - Authorized, October 6, 1997 Economic developments affecting the fiscal position ofthe United States. -­ statement by Chairman Greenspan before the House Committee on the Budget, October 8, 1997. - Published, October 8, 1997 BANK HOLDING COMPANIES Barnett Banks, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida; BB&T Corporation, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Central Fidelity Banks, Inc., Richmond, Virginia; Crestar Financial Corporation, Richmond; First American Corporation, Nashville, Tennessee; First Citizens BancShares, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina; First Union Corporation, Charlotte, North Carolina; First Virginia Banks, Inc., Falls Church, Virginia; Jefferson Bankshares, Inc., Charlottesville, Virginia; NationsBank Corporation, Charlotte, North Carolina; Riggs National Corporation, Washington, D.C.; Signet Banking Corporation, Richmond, Virginia; SunTrust Banks, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia; SynoVlls Financial Corporation, Columbus, Georgia; and Wachovia Corporation, Winston-Salem, North Carolina -- to acquire Monetary Transfer System, L.L.C., St. Louis, Missouri, and engage in data processing services through Honor Technologies, Inc., Maitland, Florida. - Approved, October 6, 1997 BANKS, STATE MEMBER Centura Bank, Rocky Mount, North Carolina -- to acquire five branches of NationsBank, N.A., Charlotte, North Carolina, and to establish branches at those locations. - Approved, October 6, 1997 BOARD OPERATIONS Budget objective for 1998 and 1999.
    [Show full text]
  • Barnett Bank of Marion City, NA V. Nelson, 517 US 25
    OCTOBER TERM, 1995 Syllabus BARNETT BANK OF MARION COUNTY, N. A. v. NELSON, FLORIDA INSURANCE COMMISSIONER, ET AL. CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT No. 94-1837. Argued January 16, 1996-Decided March 26, 1996 A 1916 federal law (Federal Statute) permits national banks to sell insur- ance in small towns, but a Florida law (State Statute) prohibits such banks from selling most types of insurance. When petitioner Barnett Bank, a national bank doing business in a small Florida town, bought a state licensed insurance agency, respondent State Insurance Commis- sioner ordered the agency to stop selling the prohibited forms of insur- ance. In this action for declaratory and injunctive relief, the District Court held that the State Statute was not pre-empted, but only because of the McCarran-Ferguson Act's special insurance-related anti-pre- emption rule. That rule provides that a federal law will not pre-empt a state law enacted "for the purpose of regulating the business of insur- ance"-unless the federal statute "specifically relates to the business of insurance." 15 U. S. C. § 1012(b) (emphasis added). The Court of Appeals affirmed. Held. The Federal Statute pre-empts the State Statute. Pp. 30-43. (a) Under ordinary pre-emption principles, the State Statute would be pre-empted, for it is clear that Congress, in enacting the Federal Statute, intended to exercise its constitutionally delegated authority to override contrary state law. The Federal and State Statutes are in "irreconcilable conflict," Rice v. Norman Williams Co., 458 U. S. 654, 659, since the Federal Statute authorizes national banks to engage in activities that the State Statute expressly forbids.
    [Show full text]
  • The Retail Banking Challenge: Opportunity Or Armageddon?
    Harland Clarke Webcast The Informed Banker – The Retail Banking Challenge: Opportunity or Armageddon? Presenter: Christine Ahlgren, Payments Marketing, Harland Clarke Presenter: Doug Freeman, Former Chairman and CEO of Netbank and Other Senior Positions in US Retail Banks Nathan: Good day, and welcome to Harland Clarke’s Speaker Series of The Informed Banker. Today’s topic is The Retail Banking Challenge: Opportunity or Armageddon? This webcast is being recorded, and you will be sent a link for playback next week, as well as a PDF of the slides. If you have questions, please use the chat box located in the webinar control panel. Your questions are private and are only seen by the presenters. I will now turn the call over to our host, Christine Ahlgren, with Harland Clarke, Payments Marketing. Christine, you have the call. Christine: Thank you, Nathan, and welcome to everyone who has joined us today for this encore presentation of The Retail Banking Challenge: Opportunity or Armageddon? with industry authority Doug Freeman. We had such a strong response following the September installment of the program that we’ve invited Doug back to present this important content to those of you who may not have been able to join us for the last session. Doug will speak to you today about the challenges impacting retail banking today. The Informed Banker Series as a whole has been designed by you through your generous feedback and direction on topics that are important to you. Please join us again on January 25 for the next topic, which will be Attracting and Engaging the Young Adult Gen Z Market.
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Preemption in the Dual Banking System: an Overview and Issues for the 116Th Congress
    Federal Preemption in the Dual Banking System: An Overview and Issues for the 116th Congress May 17, 2019 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R45726 SUMMARY R45726 Federal Preemption in the May 17, 2019 Dual Banking System: An Overview Jay B. Sykes Legislative Attorney and Issues for the 116th Congress Banks play a critical role in the United States economy, channeling money from savers to borrowers and facilitating productive investment. While the nature of lawmakers’ interest in bank regulation has shifted over time, most bank regulations fall into one of three general categories. First, banks must abide by a variety of safety-and-soundness requirements designed to minimize the risk of their failure and maintain macroeconomic stability. Second, banks must comply with consumer protection rules intended to deter abusive practices and provide consumers with complete information about financial products and services. Third, banks are subject to various reporting, recordkeeping, and anti-money laundering requirements designed to assist law enforcement in investigating criminal activity. The substantive content of these requirements remains the subject of intense debate. However, the division of regulatory authority over banks between the federal government and the states plays a key role in shaping that content. In some cases, federal law displaces (or “preempts”) state bank regulations. In other cases, states are permitted to supplement federal regulations with different, sometimes stricter requirements. Because of its substantive implications, federal preemption has recently become a flashpoint in debates surrounding bank regulation. In the American “dual banking system,” banks can apply for a national charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) or a state charter from a state’s banking authority.
    [Show full text]
  • July 9Th, 1998 My Name Is Brenda Lablanc. I Am Here Representing
    Testimony before the Federal Reserve in San Francisco,~ July 9th, 1998 My name is Brenda LaBlanc. I am here representing Citizens for Community Improvement of Des Moines. CC1 is an organization that helps citizens work on any community improvement issues. CC1 has been in Des Moines since 1977. Their Reinvestment Task Force was also initiated in 1977 to work on the problem of getting home loans in areas that had been red-lined, It’s been a long, hard road to travel but it has been worthwhile. ARer twenty years we have developed working agreements for special CRA programs with ten financial institutions. We work with each bank to help them improve their lending record, and we also provide services such as a Home Buyers Club which helps prepare people, not yet ready to buy. We also produce Credit & Home Buying seminars that provide a day long session of information about the process of home buying and introduce the various bank programs More than 300 people attended our last seminar. But we have had some problems in the last several years with bank mergers. Hawkeye Bank, a State-wide holding company was bought out by Mercantile, Hawkeye had a branch in a low-mod neighborhood but when Mercantile took over they attempted to close it. We fought this move and succeeded in keeping the branch open. But while we had had a good relationship with Hawkeye, we find we do not now have the same kind of relationship with Mercantile. First Interstate Bank was another we had an agreement with since 1988.
    [Show full text]
  • Petitioner, V
    No. 18-___ IN THE Supreme Court of the United States ———— BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., Petitioner, v. DONALD M. LUSNAK, Respondent. ———— On Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ———— PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI ———— ROBERT A. LONG, JR. Counsel of Record MARK W. MOSIER ANDREW SOUKUP COVINGTON & BURLING LLP One CityCenter 850 Tenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 662-6000 [email protected] Counsel for Petitioner August 2018 WILSON-EPES PRINTING CO., INC. – (202) 789-0096 – WASHINGTON, D. C. 20002 QUESTIONS PRESENTED The National Bank Act created a system of feder- ally-chartered national banks that derive their banking powers from federal law and are extensively regulated by the federal government. This Court has long held that a national bank’s federal banking pow- ers are “not normally limited by, but rather ordinarily pre-empt[], contrary state law.” Barnett Bank of Mar- ion County, N.A. v. Nelson, 517 U.S. 25, 32 (1996). The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”), the primary regulator of national banks, has promul- gated regulations providing that national banks may exercise their real-estate lending powers without re- gard to certain state banking laws, including state laws regulating the terms of credit and mortgage loan escrow accounts. See 12 C.F.R. § 34.4(a)(4), (6). The Ninth Circuit nevertheless held that California can compel national banks to comply with a state law re- quiring payment of interest at a specified minimum rate on mortgage loan escrow accounts.
    [Show full text]