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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The Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's rules on bank mergers passed 52-47.
May 8
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The vote to invoke cloture on the Senate's stablecoin bill failed 48-49, delaying the final passage of the crypto legislation.
May 8
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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell declined to say whether he would depart the central bank after his chairmanship ends next year, as is typical with Fed chairs who are not reappointed. He also pushed back on criticism from one potential replacement.
May 7
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The Treasury secretary tells the House Financial Services Committee that he is vetting candidates to fill the role and says acting Chair Travis Hill has been effective.
May 7
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House Financial Services Committee ranking member Maxine Waters, D-Calif., blocked a planned joint hearing on a crypto market structure bill amid concerns about the Trump family's conflicts of interest in cryptocurrency.
May 6
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expects negotiations with trading partners over tariffs to conclude by the end of the year but acknowledged that talks with China had not yet begun.
May 6 -
In a party-line vote, the committee sent the nomination of Michelle Bowman as the Federal Reserve's vice chair of supervision to the full Senate.
May 6
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As stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies enter the mainstream, lawmakers in Illinois have imposed a new transaction tax on digital assets. It will raise costs for everyday consumers and drive away businesses.
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Yes, banks' capital burden will decline, leaving more potential funds available for lending. But the big question is which banks will find a way to deploy those funds to generate meaningful returns.
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Restrictions that limit access to private market investments are harmful to ordinary investors, who are denied better returns. They also seal off a large potential source of funding for long-term infrastructure investments.
