Revises a broad set of federal bank rules, covering new bank charters, bank examinations, merger reviews, failing-bank resolutions, and regulatory guidance, to reduce regulatory burden on smaller banks and add procedural protections for institutions under supervision.

• Requires the Comptroller of the Currency, FDIC, Federal Reserve, and NCUA to publish annual reports on charter and deposit insurance application processing times and denial reasons
• Sets a 120-day deadline for Federal Reserve decisions on bank holding company applications, with applications deemed granted if no decision is made, and treats mergers resulting in institutions under $10 billion in assets as exempt from monopoly and competition review where at least two banks remain in the metro area
• Creates an Office of Independent Examination Review with a three-member board that can hear appeals of material supervisory determinations and requires exams of institutions under $6 billion in assets to be completed in 270 days or less
• Requires federal banking agencies to remove references to reputational risk from supervisory guidance and examination materials if the agencies find that doing so would not threaten safety and soundness, and requires guidance from listed financial agencies to carry a disclaimer that it is not binding

• Financial Services Committee (House)
• Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee (Senate)

Finance and Financial Sector