Banking Politics & Policy News
American Banker's Politics & Policy coverage delivers news and analysis on how legislative action, federal agency rulemaking, regulatory politics, and public policy debates shape banking strategy, risk, competition, and compliance. Coverage explores congressional priorities, executive branch initiatives, regulatory agency actions, and the political forces that shape and impact the operating environment for financial institutions, payments companies, fintechs and distributed finance companies.
Bank leaders must navigate a dynamic policy environment where congressional action, regulatory priorities, and political forces influence capital standards, supervisory expectations, digital asset frameworks, deposit insurance, consumer rules, and competitive dynamics.
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While this presidential race seems to change by the minute, some bankers are beginning to worry that an increasingly likely Donald Trump nomination could threaten GOP control of the Senate and key industry priorities.
March 9
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Richard Hunt, the president of the Consumer Bankers Association, issued a rare call-to-arms to bankers to stand up against the negative portrayal of banks by politicians on the campaign trail.
March 8 -
Hillary Clinton edged out Donald Trump in a mock election poll Tuesday at the Consumer Bankers Association conference, winning 52% to 48%.
March 8 -
The House Financial Services Committee approved a bill 34-22 Wednesday that would require financial regulators to tailor rules to ensure they are appropriate for small banks but the measure continues to face significant Democratic opposition.
March 2 -
Twelve states hold their primaries on March 1, and the outcome could determine once and for all who the 2016 presidential nominees are for Republicans and Democrats. But there are also state primaries that could have a big impact on the general election this year. Here are four things for bankers to watch out for:
February 29
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Love him or hate him, Trump provokes strong reactions from much of the electorate, bankers included. His volatile temperament and penchant for showmanship have left many skeptical, but some see his business experience and dealmaking savvy as a positive.
February 26 -
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt stopped short of calling for Treasury to recapitalize the government-sponsored enterprises, but said "something needs to be done" before they run out of capital.
February 18
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As governors prepare to designate new "opportunity zones," lenders and investors should take advantage of the chance to target capital to communities where it will both do good and generate strong returns.
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Banks can price in risk and manage their way around both left-wing and right-wing administrations. But the kind of uncertainty that arises from today's brand of politics is impossible to model.
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Efforts by individual states to rewrite existing rules governing interstate bank lending risk throwing the entire system into chaos. Only Congress has the ability to reestablish a workable set of national rules.
