Volcker Rule

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) recently laid out its priorities for 2019 in its annual report, which include measures designed to reduce regulatory burdens while continuing to promote safety and soundness in the banking sector. It also indicates that 2018 saw the fewest OCC-issued supervisory notices in 12 years.

Many of the OCC’s recent actions, and those it is planning to take in the coming months, involve implementing provisions of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.

Find out more details about the report.

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Five federal financial regulators are seeking comments on a proposed rule that would exclude community banks from Volcker Rule restrictions. The jointly proposed rule implements a provision of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.

FDIC Board Member Martin Gruenberg detailed what he believes should be considered when crafting such exemptions during a recent meeting with the FDIC Board of Directors, including asset thresholds and collateralized debt obligations.

Find out more details about how the exemption would impact community banks. 

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The Volcker Rule Regulatory Harmonization Act, which would give the Federal Reserve Board of Governors sole authority to make rules under Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Act, recently passed the House with significant bipartisan support.

The legislation also would exempt community banks from Volcker Rule requirements, and stipulate Volcker Rule supervisory jurisdiction for banking agencies.

Find out more details about what the legislation would mean for the industry if enacted.

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The House Financial Services Committee recently passed eight bills proposing various provisions included in the Senate’s recently approved regulatory relief package and that originated in the House’s Financial Choice Act.

Several of the bills propose regulatory relief provisions that involve amending federal statutes, including the Dodd-Frank Act.

Find out what provisions are included in the various legislative pieces.

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During a speech addressing a group of international bankers, Federal Reserve Vice Chairman for Supervision Randal Quarles addressed forthcoming Volcker Rule changes that are in the works, as well as the possibility of enhancing prudential standards for international banks.

Noting that he believes the Volcker Rule represents “an example of a complex regulation that is not working well,” Quarles said the federal banking agencies expect to soon solicit public feedback regarding their proposed revisions to the rule’s compliance regimen and the definitions of complex terms implementing statutory requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Find out more details about what the federal banking regulators want to change about the Volcker Rule and prudential standards for international banks.

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The House recently passed bipartisan bills that could benefit financial institutions and investors. The bills include provisions that would amend the Volcker Rule, restrict federal regulators from engaging in activities previously permitted under the Operation Choke Point initiative and help small- and mid-sized mortgage lenders.

The bills are H.R. 2706, dubbed the “Financial Institution Customer Protection Act,” H.R.3971, known as the “Community Institution Mortgage Relief Act,” and H.R. 3093, the “Investor Clarity and Bank Parity Act.”

Find out more about the three pieces of legislation. 

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The Senate Banking Committee passed S. 2155, the “Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act,” with support from Democrats and Republicans, as well as the financial industry.

The legislation primarily is intended to benefit community banks, mid-size banks, smaller regional banks, credit unions and custody banks. The bill gained new amendments specifically affecting credit unions during the mark-up phase.

Read on to find out more about the legislation ahead of a vote by the full Senate. 

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Financial professionals hoping for a revamp of the Dodd-Frank Act provision that restricts banks from making certain speculative investments, commonly known as the “Volcker Rule,” may see change in the spring of 2018, according to Acting Comptroller of the Currency Keith Noreika.

Two of the country’s largest bank trade associations weighed in on the matter of how to regulate the business of investment banking.

Find out what viewpoints and recommendations are being pushed on different sides of the matter.  

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Among the most divisive topics in financial regulation is a law with the expressed purpose of setting dividers between what banks can and cannot do. 

Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Act, more commonly known as the “Volcker Rule” has been a subject of debate since its implementation. 

Data Boiler Founder and President Kelvin To told Dodd Frank Update he sees something tantamount to harmony between the two sides of the issue, in some respects, which could be the doorway to finding a bipartisan solution.  

 

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The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is seeking public comments on revising its final rule implementing section 619 of the Dodd–Frank Act, commonly known as the “Volcker Rule.”

The move comes after a recent Financial Stability Oversight Council meeting, in which financial regulators discussed potential changes that could be made to the Volcker Rule.

Read on to learn more and read reaction from the banking industry.  Read on »