lobbying_activities: 3386742
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| 3386742 | fa3f5585-fcb9-4516-9467-559d6744596d | Q2 | COMMUNITY BANKERS ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS | 400531588 | COMMUNITY BANKERS ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS | 2025 | second_quarter | CSP | CBAI Federal Policy Priorities - Bank Regulators Fulfilling Their Responsibilities Regarding Check Fraud Including Reimbursement for Fraudulently Altered Returned Checks Community banks continue to experience a growing problem of check fraud including reimbursements for fraudulently altered checks drawn on their customers accounts. The problem in the banking industry has been identified by our members as being enabled by the nations largest banks and credit unions, where fraudulent accounts are opened and fraudulent checks are deposited, which clear back to many community banks, harming them and their customers, in addition to undermining the publics confidence in the nations banking and financial system. CBAI urges the regulators to fulfill their responsibilities to address this problem by initiating Joint Supervisory Guidance and ramping up their examination and enforcement against the largest financial institutions to ensure they are held accountable for their apparent safety and soundness and compliance inadequacies. Legitimate Bank Service Charges and Fees are Not Hidden, Exploitive and Junk Fees and Necessary Consumer Financial Responsibility There have been misguided characterizations that community bank service charges and fees are exploitive, unfair and even unlawful. What some have disparaging called Junk fees are bank fees and service charges that are justified, disclosed, and accepted by the consumers who utilize bank products and services. CBAI does not support practices that abuse consumers, but policymakers must accept the position that it is the consumers responsibility to maintain a positive deposit account balance and make their debt payments in a timely manner. It is wrong for policymakers to excuse irresponsible consumer financial behavior and doing so may encourage unacceptable behavior. Realistic Perspective on Financial Inclusion CBAI strongly supports financial inclusion and believes every responsible and able consumer and business should have a banking relationship with their local community bank. There is indisputable proof that the banking industry excels at serving the banking needs of American households. CBAI supports government initiatives that educate consumers and encourage financial inclusion, but it is not the role of federal, state or governments to provide banking services. Governments can assist the private sector in financial inclusion through incentives to promote community banks offering basic accounts and small-dollar consumer loans, especially to low- and middle-income consumers, which are those most likely to be unbanked or underbanked. Protecting Consumers by Restricting the Sale of Mortgage Trigger Leads Trigger leads are generated by credit reporting agencies that contact information about consumers applying for residential mortgage loans to mortgage marketers. This practice is permitted but restricted. Our members report that many of these marketing communications fall short of the legal requirements. Trigger leads compromise consumer privacy, create a flood of unwanted (even harassing) solicitations, create confusion and result in complaints. CBAI supports legislation that would restrict credit reporting agencies from selling consumer contact information unless the applicant has opted in to receive these solicitations. Governments Unnecessary Intrusion into Banking and Lending Which Displaces Community Banks Postal Banking CBAI believes postal banking is misguided and views any entry by the USPS into banking services as a significant and government-sponsored competitive threat to private-sector and tax-paying community banks. By better utilizing the vast network of community banks, which are already fully staffed by experienced and dedicated banking professionals, there is no need for the USPS to develop and offer banking services. Public Banking CBAI believes public banking is misguided and views any entry by federal, state or local governments into banking services as a significant and government-sponsored competitive threat to private-sector and tax-paying community banks. By better utilizing the vast network of community banks, which are already fully staffed by experienced and dedicated banking professionals, there is no need for the government to offer banking services. New Credit Card Routing Mandates Efforts to mandate credit card routing is ill conceived policymaking that will fail to benefit consumers by forcing a costly overhaul of the credit card payments landscape. The beneficiaries of the new mandates will be the largest merchants (not small businesses) which will not pass their savings on to consumers. CBAI supports greater competition and opposes concentrations in financial services represented by the too-big-to-fail banks and oligopolies like VISA and MasterCard, but misguided legislation is not the solution to the problems they create. Responsible Regulation of Digital Assets - Cryptocurrency, Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), Stablecoins and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) The risks posed by digital assets (cryptocurrency), central Bank digital currency (CBDC) and stablecoin, and decentralized finance (DeFi) are enormous, as well as the consequences for monetary policy, our financial system, and the banking industry. They pose threats to the privacy and security of consumers and small businesses. There is no single regulator responsible for this rapidly growing sector which combines elements of currency, payments and investments, and there is insufficient transparency and lack of accountability in this ecosystem. Policymakers must develop and implement a consistent federal regulatory framework that does not permit digital assets and DeFi to offer financial services or products without being subject to the same regulations as community banks and deny nonbank stablecoin issuers access to the Federal Reserve master account, both of which would threaten the essential and highly successful business model of responsible community banks. The Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) in Their Comprehensive Review by the FHFA The FHLB System is an admirable public-private partnership where the FHLBs banks provide short-term liquidity, long-term funding, mortgage-related products, and other financial services to help their owner-members weather crisis and provide affordable credit to support the local communities. FHLBanks contributes a substantial portion of its income to affordable housing and community development in their respective districts. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has embarked on a comprehensive review of the FHLBs. CBAI recommends that the FHFA should not seek to disrupt the cooperative structure, regional nature, special functions, and the unique purposes of the FHLBanks. Reasonable Regulatory Rules and Implementation Customer Data Sharing A Final Rule was published in October of 2024. The Final Rule was flawed because it exempted too few financial institutions, ignores the costs of providing this service to consumers and does not adequately protect consumers and their community banks or compensate them from any losses related to data misuse, breaches and fraud. Modernizing the Community Reinvestment Act The Final Joint Rule was published in October of 2023. The Final Joint Rule was flawed because it exempted too few financial institutions and for many other reasons. There have been legal challenges to the Final Joint Rule. CBAI supports the reasonable implementation of the CRA that includes credit unions being subject to the CRA. Federal Safe Harbor for Banking Cannabis-Related Businesses Without taking a position on the legalization of cannabis, CBAI supports a federal safe harbor from sanctions for financial institutions that choose to serve legally compliant cannabis-related businesses (CRBs) and ancillary businesses that have commercial relationships with CBRs, in states where cannabis is legal. Allowing these businesses access to the traditional banking system and its services, versus operating exclusively in cash, is a public safety issue. Closing the Industrial Loan Company (ILC) Regulatory Loophole CBAI has consistently supported the long-standing American policy of prohibiting the mixing of banking and commerce, which ILCs represent, because of the risks they pose to the financial system, the FDICs DIF, our economy, consumers and American taxpayers. The risk posed by ILCs, particularly large technology and ecommerce giants, is a regulatory loophole that allows their holding companies to escape from consolidated federal supervision and regulation. This loophole must be closed. Meaningful Regulatory Relief for Community Banks and Regulatory Overreach CBAI joins the ICBA in supporting a more efficient system of rules and regulations, unbiased laws governing the financial sector, a safer and more secure business environment, and more efficient agricultural policies to support the nations economic growth and development in all parts of the country. Many new and significant rules have been approved which individually and collectively present incredible challenges for community banks which are less likely to be able to comply with these many new requirements. CBAI urges carefully constructed legislation and regulation, robust congressional oversight of the regulators, and a moratorium on new rules until the impact of existing rules can be thoroughly assessed to minimize the damages to community banks. Credit Unions and Their Expanded Powers Credit unions have long since strayed from their founding purposes, weaponizing their competitive advantages, and are virtually indistinguishable from tax-paying community banks. Credit union acquisitions of community banks are increasing at an alarming pace and is an abuse of the tax code which exacerbates consolidation among financial institutions, negatively impacts all taxpayers, and reduces consumer choice. Credit union abuse of their tax exemption is an existential threat to community banks and the communities they serve and must end. Enhanced Data, Cyber and Payment Card Security (Data Security) The need for data security is paramount in financial services. Community banks are strong guardians of the security and confidentiality of their customers information. Enhanced security standards should be enforced through a tiered system where the more restrictive rules are imposed on the largest members of the financial system and economy (bot community banks) where their lapses pose the greatest threat to the largest number of consumers. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Reform and Exemptions for Community Banks CFPBs regulations must provide community banks with the flexibility to meet the needs of their customers - not a one-size-fits-all approach. They must not be burdened with additional and unnecessary regulatory requirements that would prevent them from serving their customers and communities. In reforming the CFPB, the single director governance should be replaced by a five-member board or commission. A broader definition of firms that grant credit should be subject to the CFPB rules, and they should be robustly supervised and examined. The focus of any enhanced regulation of financial products should be on the largest banks and financial firms, the unregulated shadow financial industry, and fintechs - not community banks. Sound Principles for Housing Government Sponsored Entity (GSE) Reform Reforms in government support for housing finance remain important to the future of the housing market and the U.S. economy. Unlike other private aggregators or investors, the GSEs have a mandate to serve all markets at all times, which is critical to maintaining liquidity particularly when markets are experiencing financial stress and private capital moves to the sidelines. Exiting receivership includes building capital to successfully operate within a broader housing finance framework, and bipartisan agreement on the proper role of the housing GSEs and the programs necessary to fulfill reasonable and consistent housing goals. The Federal Reserves Role in Payments System Improvement (FedNow Service) The FedNow Service is a significant payments system improvement. The payments system must not be monopolized by The Clearing House and its large bank owners with their RTP Network. Community banks, consumers and small businesses must rely on the Federal Reserve to provide access to a safe and secure payments system, which requires the Fed to play a preeminent role in system improvements. The FedNow Service should have robust capabilities, should be interoperable with other payments systems and should only be accessed by regulated financial institutions - not Amazon, Walmart, and the many fintechs that are seeking direct access to the payment rails. Finally Address the Risks of Too-Big-To-Fail Banks and Financial Firms, to Protect Community Banks, our Financial System, the Economy, and American Taxpayers from Future Bailouts The Great Financial Crisis, and the mini crisis caused by the failures of SVB and SBNY, were caused by the misconduct of the nations largest banks and financial firms and by banking regulators that did not ensure the safety and soundness of these financial behemoths. The megabanks and financial firms have proven, at great cost to American taxpayers, that they cannot be managed, supervised, disciplined or prosecuted. They are clearly too-big-to-change, too-big-to-fail, and must be downsized. This necessary policy objective can be accomplished by separating the traditional deposit-taking and lending activities of the largest banks from their speculative investment banking, securities underwriting, and market making activities. The time to act is now before the next financial crisis. (House and Senate, Federal Reserve, OCC and FDIC) Legislation and Regulation - H.R. 3633 or the CLARITY Act (All Sections) and S. 394 or the GENIUS Act (All Sections), S. 1582 or the GENIUS Act (All Sections) regarding stablecoins and ICBA/CBAI guiding principles (House, Senate, OCC) H.R. 1822 and S. 838 or the ACRE Act of 2025 (All Sections) to provide that interest income on loans to ag borrowers secured by ag assets or residences in ag areas will be considered exempt for income tax purposes (House and Senate) H.R. 2808 and S. 1467 or the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act (All Sections) to protect the financial privacy of mortgage applicants by restricting the sale of trigger leads (House and Senate) S.J. Res 18 disapproving the CFPBs Rule related to overdraft lending for very large institutions (Senate) Letters - None Action Alerts - None Miscellaneous - OCCs Virtual Innovations Office Hours discussed FinTechs, digital assets, cryptocurrency, Special Purpose National Banks, third party risk management, stablecoins, and the disintermediation of community banks (OCC) The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) 2025 Legislative Priorities discussed at the ICBA Capital Summit and CBAIs Call on Washington including - the CFPBs Section 1071 Rule, Major Tax Legislation, Taxing Credit Unions with Assets of More than $1 billion, Access to Credit for Rural Economies (ACRE) Act, Ensure Stablecoin Frameworks Dont Harm Community Banks, Oppose Credit Card Routing Mandates, Support for Agricultural Lending and Rural America, Support Community Bank Formation, Growth and Tiered Regulation and Restricting the Sale of Mortgage Trigger Leads (House and Senate) Statement for the Record submitted to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for a hearing on elder fraud and scams (Senate) Statement of appreciation for the publication of a Request for Information (RFI) on Potential Actions to Address Payments Fraud (including check fraud) (Federal Reserve, FDIC and OCC) | Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC),Federal Reserve System,HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC),SENATE | 65000 | 0 | 0 | 2025-07-16T18:10:30-04:00 |