Fair Access to Banking Act
Sponsored By: Representative Barr
Introduced
Summary
Prevents banks and payment networks from cutting off customers for political or reputational reasons. It sets a national standard that forces objective, risk-based decisions and creates a private right of action for people and businesses harmed by unfair denials.
Show full summary
- Families and households keep access to bank accounts and payment services without being excluded for politics or reputation, and any denial must include a written, quantifiable justification.
- Lawful businesses and nonprofits, including politically unpopular ones, gain protection from category-based refusals and can sue for treble damages and attorney’s fees if a covered institution violates the rules.
- Banks, credit unions, and payment networks must adopt impartial, data-driven risk standards, may face civil penalties, and large institutions that refuse service could lose access to discount window lending or automated clearing house services.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Card networks barred from blocking customers
If enacted, payment card networks and related firms could not block or limit a lawful person from getting network services because of political or reputational risk. The rule would cover networks, subsidiaries, agents, processors, and licensed members when the person is complying with the law. The Comptroller could fine a network up to 10% of the value of the affected services, but no more than $10,000 per violation. This would protect access to widely used card services for customers and merchants.
Limits on very large banks' access
If enacted, member banks and some state banks or credit unions that refuse to do business with lawful persons could lose access to key infrastructure. Member banks with more than $50 billion in assets could be barred from the Federal Reserve discount window if they refuse lawful customers. Banks and covered credit unions with more than $50 billion could be blocked from using the ACH Network for that reason. The bill would also add nonmember banks, trust companies, very large insured institutions (over $500 billion), and refusing insured credit unions to related supervisory lists or conditions.
New fair-access rules for banks
If enacted, a bank with $50 billion or more in assets would be presumed a 'covered bank'. Banks could submit papers to the Office of the Comptroller to rebut that presumption. Covered banks would have to offer each service to people in their market on proportionally equal terms and could only deny service for documented, impartial, risk-based reasons set in advance. Anyone harmed could sue in federal court without using agency steps first, and courts could award attorney fees, costs, and triple damages.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Barr
KY • R
Cosponsors
Meuser
PA • R
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Franklin, Scott
FL • R
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Clyde
GA • R
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Harrigan
NC • R
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Arrington
TX • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Fitzgerald
WI • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Foxx
NC • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Higgins (LA)
LA • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Rogers (AL)
AL • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Buchanan
FL • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Van Duyne
TX • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Weber (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Estes
KS • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Scott, Austin
GA • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Finstad
MN • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Tenney
NY • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Strong
AL • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Self
TX • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Yakym
IN • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Graves
MO • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
DesJarlais
TN • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Amodei (NV)
NV • R
Sponsored 2/11/2025
Smith (NE)
NE • R
Sponsored 2/11/2025
Moore (AL)
AL • R
Sponsored 2/11/2025
Rutherford
FL • R
Sponsored 2/11/2025
Downing
MT • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Boebert
CO • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Collins
GA • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Burlison
MO • R
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Lee (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Bergman
MI • R
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Pfluger
TX • R
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Langworthy
NY • R
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Mann
KS • R
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Latta
OH • R
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Carter (GA)
GA • R
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Harris (MD)
MD • R
Sponsored 2/27/2025
Bost
IL • R
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Hudson
NC • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Shreve
IN • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Comer
KY • R
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Ogles
TN • R
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Walberg
MI • R
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Gooden
TX • R
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Bean (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Hern (OK)
OK • R
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Cline
VA • R
Sponsored 3/31/2025
Williams (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Huizenga
MI • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Newhouse
WA • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Stefanik
NY • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Sessions
TX • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Wied
WI • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Owens
UT • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Steube
FL • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Fry
SC • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Donalds
FL • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Timmons
SC • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Wagner
MO • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Haridopolos
FL • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Hinson
IA • R
Sponsored 5/13/2025
Miller (WV)
WV • R
Sponsored 6/5/2025
Moolenaar
MI • R
Sponsored 6/5/2025
Nehls
TX • R
Sponsored 6/5/2025
Moore (UT)
UT • R
Sponsored 6/5/2025
Crenshaw
TX • R
Sponsored 6/5/2025
Harshbarger
TN • R
Sponsored 6/5/2025
Gill (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 6/9/2025
Fulcher
ID • R
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Valadao
CA • R
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Feenstra
IA • R
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Gimenez
FL • R
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Wilson (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Evans (CO)
CO • R
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Rouzer
NC • R
Sponsored 8/29/2025
Burchett
TN • R
Sponsored 8/29/2025
Biggs (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 9/2/2025
McDowell
NC • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Jackson (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Grothman
WI • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Goldman (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
McGuire
VA • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Fischbach
MN • R
Sponsored 10/6/2025
Issa
CA • R
Sponsored 10/6/2025
Hamadeh (AZ)
AZ • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Simpson
ID • R
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Calvert
CA • R
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Allen
GA • R
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Jack
GA • R
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Joyce (OH)
OH • R
Sponsored 2/23/2026
Fallon
TX • R
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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