HR987119th CongressWALLET

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.

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  • 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.

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

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  • Self

    TX • R

    Sponsored 2/10/2025

  • Yakym

    IN • R

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  • Graves

    MO • R

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  • DesJarlais

    TN • R

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  • Amodei (NV)

    NV • R

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  • Smith (NE)

    NE • R

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  • Moore (AL)

    AL • R

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  • Rutherford

    FL • R

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  • Downing

    MT • R

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  • Boebert

    CO • R

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  • Collins

    GA • R

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  • Burlison

    MO • R

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  • Lee (FL)

    FL • R

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  • Bergman

    MI • R

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  • Pfluger

    TX • R

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  • Langworthy

    NY • R

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  • Mann

    KS • R

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  • Latta

    OH • R

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  • Carter (GA)

    GA • R

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  • 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

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  • Cline

    VA • R

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  • Williams (TX)

    TX • R

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  • 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

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  • Hinson

    IA • R

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  • Miller (WV)

    WV • R

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  • Moolenaar

    MI • R

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  • Nehls

    TX • R

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  • Moore (UT)

    UT • R

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  • Crenshaw

    TX • R

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  • 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

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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