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OCC and FDIC leaders said they plan to focus on improving the regulatory framework for community banks, including making changes to the community bank leverage ratio.

Senior ICBA staff this week participated in two meetings with federal officials related to getting the government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, out of conservatorship.

ICBA released the results of a new data analysis demonstrating that credit union acquisitions of community banks are harming small businesses and local communities.

The latest op-ed from ICBA leadership community banker Ken Hale on the negative impact of the credit union tax exemption details the direct impact that credit unions purchasing banks in Louisiana will have on local governments.

The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today called on Congress to consider deposit insurance reforms that enhance coverage for small businesses, address the more favorable regulatory treatment the nation’s largest banks receive under the current framework, and ensure community banks are not penalized.

The OCC issued two bulletins clarifying its policies on politicized or unlawful debanking in accordance with last month’s executive order on ensuring fair banking for all Americans.

ICBA said community bankers strongly support the role of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network while recommending updates to beneficial ownership information collection and Bank Secrecy Act thresholds.

The Treasury Department sanctioned a large network of scam centers across Southeast Asia that steal billions of dollars from Americans.

President Donald Trump signed into law the bipartisan Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act, ICBA-supported legislation that will help protect the financial privacy of mortgage applicants.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued guidance to encourage and promote appropriate, voluntary cross-border sharing of information between and among financial institutions, including appropriate foreign financial institutions.

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced the formation of a task force that it said will strengthen and enhance efforts to identify and combat cross-border fraud harming U.S. investors.

ICBA and other groups called on Congress to extend the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act before its Sept. 30 expiration date, saying that failure to do so would impede public-private sector coordination during cyberattacks and weaken the nation’s cyber defenses.