PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Council can require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve to supervise a big U.S. or foreign nonbank financial company and make it follow safety rules if the Council decides the company’s trouble or the size, scope, connections, or mix of its activities could threaten U.S. financial stability. The Council must approve this with at least two‑thirds of its voting members and the Chairperson must agree. When deciding, the Council will look at things like leverage, off‑balance‑sheet risks, ties to other big firms, how important the company is as a source of credit (including for low‑income or underserved communities), whether it mostly manages assets instead of owning them, its size and concentration, how much it is already regulated, its assets and liabilities (including short‑term funding), and other risk factors. For foreign firms the Council focuses on U.S.‑related exposures and whether the firm is already supervised at home. To stop firms from avoiding the rules, the Council can target the firm’s financial activities and require an intermediate holding company to bring those activities under supervision. The Council must report such findings to Congress, review any designation at least once a year, and can remove it if the firm no longer meets the tests. The Council must give written notice and the company can ask for a hearing (timelines are set for hearings and final decisions). In emergencies the Council can waive those hearing rules but must notify the firm quickly and still allow a later hearing. A company can seek court review within 30 days, and the Council will consult other regulators, including foreign ones when appropriate.

Title 12, §5323

Banks and Banking, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)U.S. nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board of Governors

(1)Determination

The Council, on a nondelegable basis and by a vote of not fewer than ⅔ of the voting members then serving, including an affirmative vote by the Chairperson, may determine that a U.S. nonbank financial company shall be supervised by the Board of Governors and shall be subject to prudential standards, in accordance with this subchapter, if the Council determines that material financial distress at the U.S. nonbank financial company, or the nature, scope, size, scale, concentration, interconnectedness, or mix of the activities of the U.S. nonbank financial company, could pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States.

(2)Considerations

In making a determination under paragraph (1), the Council shall consider—

(A)the extent of the leverage of the company;

(B)the extent and nature of the off-balance-sheet exposures of the company;

(C)the extent and nature of the transactions and relationships of the company with other significant nonbank financial companies and significant bank holding companies;

(D)the importance of the company as a source of credit for households, businesses, and State and local governments and as a source of liquidity for the United States financial system;

(E)the importance of the company as a source of credit for low-income, minority, or underserved communities, and the impact that the failure of such company would have on the availability of credit in such communities;

(F)the extent to which assets are managed rather than owned by the company, and the extent to which ownership of assets under management is diffuse;

(G)the nature, scope, size, scale, concentration, interconnectedness, and mix of the activities of the company;

(H)the degree to which the company is already regulated by 1 or more primary financial regulatory agencies;

(I)the amount and nature of the financial assets of the company;

(J)the amount and types of the liabilities of the company, including the degree of reliance on short-term funding; and

(K)any other risk-related factors that the Council deems appropriate.

(b)Foreign nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board of Governors

(1)Determination

The Council, on a nondelegable basis and by a vote of not fewer than ⅔ of the voting members then serving, including an affirmative vote by the Chairperson, may determine that a foreign nonbank financial company shall be supervised by the Board of Governors and shall be subject to prudential standards, in accordance with this subchapter, if the Council determines that material financial distress at the foreign nonbank financial company, or the nature, scope, size, scale, concentration, interconnectedness, or mix of the activities of the foreign nonbank financial company, could pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States.

(2)Considerations

In making a determination under paragraph (1), the Council shall consider—

(A)the extent of the leverage of the company;

(B)the extent and nature of the United States related off-balance-sheet exposures of the company;

(C)the extent and nature of the transactions and relationships of the company with other significant nonbank financial companies and significant bank holding companies;

(D)the importance of the company as a source of credit for United States households, businesses, and State and local governments and as a source of liquidity for the United States financial system;

(E)the importance of the company as a source of credit for low-income, minority, or underserved communities in the United States, and the impact that the failure of such company would have on the availability of credit in such communities;

(F)the extent to which assets are managed rather than owned by the company and the extent to which ownership of assets under management is diffuse;

(G)the nature, scope, size, scale, concentration, interconnectedness, and mix of the activities of the company;

(H)the extent to which the company is subject to prudential standards on a consolidated basis in its home country that are administered and enforced by a comparable foreign supervisory authority;

(I)the amount and nature of the United States financial assets of the company;

(J)the amount and nature of the liabilities of the company used to fund activities and operations in the United States, including the degree of reliance on short-term funding; and

(K)any other risk-related factors that the Council deems appropriate.

(c)Antievasion

(1)Determinations

In order to avoid evasion of this subchapter, the Council, on its own initiative or at the request of the Board of Governors, may determine, on a nondelegable basis and by a vote of not fewer than ⅔ of the voting members then serving, including an affirmative vote by the Chairperson, that—

(A)material financial distress related to, or the nature, scope, size, scale, concentration, interconnectedness, or mix of, the financial activities conducted directly or indirectly by a company incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States or any State or the financial activities in the United States of a company incorporated or organized in a country other than the United States would pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States, based on consideration of the factors in subsection (a)(2) or (b)(2), as applicable;

(B)the company is organized or operates in such a manner as to evade the application of this subchapter; and

(C)such financial activities of the company shall be supervised by the Board of Governors and subject to prudential standards in accordance with this subchapter, consistent with paragraph (3).

(2)Report

Upon making a determination under paragraph (1), the Council shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress detailing the reasons for making such determination.

(3)Consolidated supervision of only financial activities; establishment of an intermediate holding company

(A)Establishment of an intermediate holding company

Upon a determination under paragraph (1), the company that is the subject of the determination may establish an intermediate holding company in which the financial activities of such company and its subsidiaries shall be conducted (other than the activities described in section 5367(b)(2) of this title) in compliance with any regulations or guidance provided by the Board of Governors. Such intermediate holding company shall be subject to the supervision of the Board of Governors and to prudential standards under this subchapter as if the intermediate holding company were a nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors.

(B)Action of the Board of Governors

To facilitate the supervision of the financial activities subject to the determination in paragraph (1), the Board of Governors may require a company to establish an intermediate holding company, as provided for in section 5367 of this title, which would be subject to the supervision of the Board of Governors and to prudential standards under this subchapter, as if the intermediate holding company were a nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors.

(4)Notice and opportunity for hearing and final determination; judicial review

Subsections (d) through (h) shall apply to determinations made by the Council pursuant to paragraph (1) in the same manner as such subsections apply to nonbank financial companies.

(5)Covered financial activities

For purposes of this subsection, the term “financial activities”—

(A)means activities that are financial in nature (as defined in section 1843(k) of this title);

(B)includes the ownership or control of one or more insured depository institutions; and

(C)does not include internal financial activities conducted for the company or any affiliate thereof, including internal treasury, investment, and employee benefit functions.

(6)Only financial activities subject to prudential supervision

Nonfinancial activities of the company shall not be subject to supervision by the Board of Governors and prudential standards of the Board. For purposes of this Act, the financial activities that are the subject of the determination in paragraph (1) shall be subject to the same requirements as a nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors. Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit or limit the authority of the Board of Governors to apply prudential standards under this subchapter to the financial activities that are subject to the determination in paragraph (1).

(d)Reevaluation and rescission

The Council shall—

(1)not less frequently than annually, reevaluate each determination made under subsections (a) and (b) with respect to such nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors; and

(2)rescind any such determination, if the Council, by a vote of not fewer than ⅔ of the voting members then serving, including an affirmative vote by the Chairperson, determines that the nonbank financial company no longer meets the standards under subsection (a) or (b), as applicable.

(e)Notice and opportunity for hearing and final determination

(1)In general

The Council shall provide to a nonbank financial company written notice of a proposed determination of the Council, including an explanation of the basis of the proposed determination of the Council, that a nonbank financial company shall be supervised by the Board of Governors and shall be subject to prudential standards in accordance with this subchapter.

(2)Hearing

Not later than 30 days after the date of receipt of any notice of a proposed determination under paragraph (1), the nonbank financial company may request, in writing, an opportunity for a written or oral hearing before the Council to contest the proposed determination. Upon receipt of a timely request, the Council shall fix a time (not later than 30 days after the date of receipt of the request) and place at which such company may appear, personally or through counsel, to submit written materials (or, at the sole discretion of the Council, oral testimony and oral argument).

(3)Final determination

Not later than 60 days after the date of a hearing under paragraph (2), the Council shall notify the nonbank financial company of the final determination of the Council, which shall contain a statement of the basis for the decision of the Council.

(4)No hearing requested

If a nonbank financial company does not make a timely request for a hearing, the Council shall notify the nonbank financial company, in writing, of the final determination of the Council under subsection (a) or (b), as applicable, not later than 10 days after the date by which the company may request a hearing under paragraph (2).

(f)Emergency exception

(1)In general

The Council may waive or modify the requirements of subsection (e) with respect to a nonbank financial company, if the Council determines, by a vote of not fewer than ⅔ of the voting members then serving, including an affirmative vote by the Chairperson, that such waiver or modification is necessary or appropriate to prevent or mitigate threats posed by the nonbank financial company to the financial stability of the United States.

(2)Notice

The Council shall provide notice of a waiver or modification under this subsection to the nonbank financial company concerned as soon as practicable, but not later than 24 hours after the waiver or modification is granted.

(3)International coordination

In making a determination under paragraph (1), the Council shall consult with the appropriate home country supervisor, if any, of the foreign nonbank financial company that is being considered for such a determination.

(4)Opportunity for hearing

The Council shall allow a nonbank financial company to request, in writing, an opportunity for a written or oral hearing before the Council to contest a waiver or modification under this subsection, not later than 10 days after the date of receipt of notice of the waiver or modification by the company. Upon receipt of a timely request, the Council shall fix a time (not later than 15 days after the date of receipt of the request) and place at which the nonbank financial company may appear, personally or through counsel, to submit written materials (or, at the sole discretion of the Council, oral testimony and oral argument).

(5)Notice of final determination

Not later than 30 days after the date of any hearing under paragraph (4), the Council shall notify the subject nonbank financial company of the final determination of the Council under this subsection, which shall contain a statement of the basis for the decision of the Council.

(g)Consultation

The Council shall consult with the primary financial regulatory agency, if any, for each nonbank financial company or subsidiary of a nonbank financial company that is being considered for supervision by the Board of Governors under this section before the Council makes any final determination with respect to such nonbank financial company under subsection (a), (b), or (c).

(h)Judicial review

If the Council makes a final determination under this section with respect to a nonbank financial company, such nonbank financial company may, not later than 30 days after the date of receipt of the notice of final determination under subsection (d)(2), (e)(3), or (f)(5), bring an action in the United States district court for the judicial district in which the home office of such nonbank financial company is located, or in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, for an order requiring that the final determination be rescinded, and the court shall, upon review, dismiss such action or direct the final determination to be rescinded. Review of such an action shall be limited to whether the final determination made under this section was arbitrary and capricious.

(i)International coordination

In exercising its duties under this subchapter with respect to foreign nonbank financial companies, foreign-based bank holding companies, and cross-border activities and markets, the Council shall consult with appropriate foreign regulatory authorities, to the extent appropriate.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1), (b)(1), (c)(1), (3), (6), (e)(1), and (i), was in the original “this title”, meaning title I of Pub. L. 111–203, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1391, which is classified principally to this subchapter. For complete classification of title I to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 5301 of this title and Tables. This Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(6), is Pub. L. 111–203, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1376, known as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which enacted this chapter and chapters 108 (§ 8201 et seq.) and 109 (§ 8301 et seq.) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and enacted, amended, and repealed numerous other sections and notes in the Code. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 5301 of this title and Tables.

§5323 Authority to Require Supervision and Regulation of Certain Nonbank Financial Companies

Summary

Title 12, §5323

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

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