Title 12 — Banks and BankingRelease 119-73

§2289 General powers

Title 12 › Chapter CHAPTER 24— - FEDERAL FINANCING BANK › § 2289

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Gives the Bank the power to run its business and manage its affairs. It can sue or be sued in its own name; make a corporate seal and write rules and bylaws; operate in any State without meeting state qualification laws; buy, lease, sell, mortgage, or improve property anywhere; accept gifts; enter contracts and take on liabilities; and hire officers, attorneys, employees, and agents and set their duties and pay (subject to civil service and classification laws). The Bank can also use other federal agencies’ services and pay for them, and it decides how its bills and spending are handled, while following laws that apply to government corporations.

Full Legal Text

Title 12, §2289

Banks and Banking — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Bank shall have power—

(1)to sue and be sued, complain, and defend, in its corporate name;

(2)to adopt, alter, and use a corporate seal, which shall be judicially noticed;

(3)to adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws, rules, and regulations as may be necessary for the conduct of its business;

(4)to conduct its business, carry on its operations, and have offices and exercise the powers granted by this chapter in any State without regard to any qualification or similar statute in any State;

(5)to lease, purchase, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, use, or otherwise deal in and with any property, real, personal, or mixed, or any interest therein, wherever situated;

(6)to accept gifts or donations of services, or of property, real, personal, or mixed, tangible or intangible, in aid of any of the purposes of the Bank;

(7)to sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, and otherwise dispose of its property and assets;

(8)to appoint such officers, attorneys, employees, and agents as may be required, to define their duties, to fix and to pay such compensation for their services as may be determined, subject to the civil service and classification laws, to require bonds for them and pay the premium thereof;

(9)to enter into contracts, to execute instruments to incur liabilities, and to do all things as are necessary or incidental to the proper management of its affairs and the proper conduct of its business;

(10)to act through any corporate or other agency or instrumentality of the United States, and to utilize the services thereof on a reimbursable basis, and any such agency or instrumentality is authorized to provide services as requested by the Bank; and

(11)to determine the character of and the necessity for its obligations and expenditures, and the manner in which they shall be incurred, allowed, and paid, subject to provisions of law specifically applicable to Government corporations.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

12 U.S.C. § 2289

Title 12 — Banks and Banking

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73