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Title 12 — Banks and BankingRelease 119-73

§3108 Regulation and enforcement

Title 12 › Chapter CHAPTER 32— - FOREIGN BANK PARTICIPATION IN DOMESTIC MARKETS › § 3108

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board, and the FDIC can make the rules and orders they need to do their jobs, carry out this law, and stop people from getting around it. If someone does not follow the law, any appropriate federal banking agency can use the enforcement tools in section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. In hearings, exams, or investigations, those agencies and their officers or representatives can give oaths, take depositions, and issue or change subpoenas that require people to appear or to hand over documents. Subpoenas can reach people anywhere in any State or other place under U.S. jurisdiction. Service can be by registered mail or another reasonable way. Witnesses must be paid the same fees and mileage as in U.S. district courts. If a person refuses to obey a subpoena, the agencies or other parties can ask a U.S. district court (including the District of Columbia or the district where the matter or witness is) to order compliance. Courts can also award reasonable costs and lawyers’ fees. Willfully ignoring a subpoena can lead to a penalty under Title 18, up to 1 year in prison, a fine, or both, with each day of refusal counting as a separate offense. For Federal Reserve Act rules that apply to foreign banks or branches and fall under this chapter, the Board enforces and interprets those rules when it is the proper agency, and the FDIC may require duplicate reports and still may examine or demand special reports.

Full Legal Text

Title 12, §3108

Banks and Banking — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Comptroller, the Board, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, are authorized and empowered to issue such rules, regulations, and orders as each of them may deem necessary in order to perform their respective duties and functions under this chapter and to administer and carry out the provisions and purposes of this chapter and prevent evasions thereof.
(b)(1)In addition to any powers, remedies, or sanctions otherwise provided by law, compliance with the requirements imposed under this chapter or any amendment made by this chapter may be enforced under section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1818] by any appropriate Federal banking agency as defined in that Act [12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.].
(2)In the course of, or in connection with, an application, examination, investigation, or other proceeding under this chapter, the Board, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as the case may be, any member of the Board or of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, and any designated representative of the Board, Comptroller, or Corporation (including any person designated to conduct any hearing under this chapter) may—
(A)administer oaths and affirmations and take or cause to be taken depositions; and
(B)issue, revoke, quash, or modify any subpoena, including any subpoena requiring the attendance and testimony of a witness or any subpoenas duces tecum.
(3)(A)The attendance of any witness and the production of any document pursuant to a subpoena under paragraph (2) may be required at the place designated in the subpoena from any place in any State (as defined in section 3(a)(3) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1813(a)(3)]) or other place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
(B)Service of a subpoena issued under this subsection may be made by registered mail, or in such other manner reasonably calculated to give actual notice as the Board, Comptroller of the Currency, or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation may by regulation or otherwise provide.
(C)Witnesses subpoenaed under this subsection shall be paid the same fees and mileage that are paid witnesses in the district courts of the United States.
(4)(A)In the case of contumacy of any person issued a subpoena under this subsection or a refusal by such person to comply with such subpoena, the Board, Comptroller of the Currency, or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or any other party to proceedings in connection with which subpoena was issued may invoke the aid of—
(i)the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, or
(ii)any district court of the United States within the jurisdiction of which the proceeding is being conducted or the witness resides or carries on business.
(B)Any court referred to in subparagraph (A) may issue an order requiring compliance with a subpoena issued under this subsection.
(5)Any court having jurisdiction of any proceeding instituted under this subsection may allow any party to such proceeding such reasonable expenses and attorneys’ fees as the court deems just and proper.
(6)Any person who willfully fails or refuses to attend and testify or to answer any lawful inquiry or to produce books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, contracts, agreements, or other records in accordance with any subpoena under this subsection shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both. Each day during which any such failure or refusal continues shall be treated as a separate offense.
(c)In the case of any provision of the Federal Reserve Act [12 U.S.C. 221 et seq.] to which a foreign bank or branch thereof is subject under this chapter, and which is made applicable to nonmember insured banks by the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.], whether by cross-reference to the Federal Reserve Act or by a provision in substantially the same terms in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, the administration, interpretation, and enforcement of such provision, insofar as it relates to any foreign bank or branch thereof as to which the Board is an appropriate Federal banking agency, are vested in the Board, but where the making of any report to the Board or a Federal Reserve bank is required under any such provision, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation may require that a duplicate of any such report be sent directly to it. This subsection shall not be construed to impair any power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to make regular or special examinations or to require special reports.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

For definition of “this chapter”, referred to in text, see

References in Text

note set out under section 3101 of this title. The Federal Deposit Insurance Act, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1) and (c), is act Sept. 21, 1950, ch. 967, § 2, 64 Stat. 873, which is classified generally to chapter 16 (§ 1811 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1811 of this title and Tables. The Federal Reserve Act, referred to in subsec. (c), is act Dec. 23, 1913, ch. 6, 38 Stat. 251, which is classified principally to chapter 3 (§ 221 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

References in Text

note set out under section 226 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1991—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–242 inserted heading, designated existing provisions as par. (1) and inserted par. heading, and added pars. (2) to (6).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

12 U.S.C. § 3108

Title 12 — Banks and Banking

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73