(a)(1)The Council, on a nondelegable basis and by a vote of not fewer than ⅔ of members then serving, including an affirmative vote by the Chairperson of the Council, shall designate those financial market utilities or payment, clearing, or settlement activities that the Council determines are, or are likely to become, systemically important.
(2)In determining whether a financial market utility or payment, clearing, or settlement activity is, or is likely to become, systemically important, the Council shall take into consideration the following:
(A)The aggregate monetary value of transactions processed by the financial market utility or carried out through the payment, clearing, or settlement activity.
(B)The aggregate exposure of the financial market utility or a financial institution engaged in payment, clearing, or settlement activities to its counterparties.
(C)The relationship, interdependencies, or other interactions of the financial market utility or payment, clearing, or settlement activity with other financial market utilities or payment, clearing, or settlement activities.
(D)The effect that the failure of or a disruption to the financial market utility or payment, clearing, or settlement activity would have on critical markets, financial institutions, or the broader financial system.
(E)Any other factors that the Council deems appropriate.
(b)(1)The Council, on a nondelegable basis and by a vote of not fewer than ⅔ of members then serving, including an affirmative vote by the Chairperson of the Council, shall rescind a designation of systemic importance for a designated financial market utility or designated activity if the Council determines that the utility or activity no longer meets the standards for systemic importance.
(2)Upon rescission, the financial market utility or financial institutions conducting the activity will no longer be subject to the provisions of this subchapter or any rules or orders prescribed under this subchapter.
(c)(1)Before making any determination under subsection (a) or (b), the Council shall consult with the relevant Supervisory Agency and the Board of Governors.
(2)(A)Before making any determination under subsection (a) or (b), the Council shall provide the financial market utility or, in the case of a payment, clearing, or settlement activity, financial institutions with advance notice of the proposed determination of the Council.
(B)The Council shall provide such advance notice to financial institutions by publishing a notice in the Federal Register.
(C)Within 30 days from the date of any notice of the proposed determination of the Council, the financial market utility or, in the case of a payment, clearing, or settlement activity, a financial institution engaged in the designated activity may request, in writing, an opportunity for a written or oral hearing before the Council to demonstrate that the proposed designation or rescission of designation is not supported by substantial evidence.
(D)Upon receipt of a timely request, the Council shall fix a time, not more than 30 days after receipt of the request, unless extended at the request of the financial market utility or financial institution, and place at which the financial market utility or financial institution may appear, personally or through counsel, to submit written materials, or, at the sole discretion of the Council, oral testimony or oral argument.
(3)(A)The Council may waive or modify the requirements of paragraph (2) if the Council determines, by an affirmative vote of not fewer than ⅔ of members then serving, including an affirmative vote by the Chairperson of the Council, that the waiver or modification is necessary to prevent or mitigate an immediate threat to the financial system posed by the financial market utility or the payment, clearing, or settlement activity.
(B)The Council shall provide notice of the waiver or modification to the financial market utility concerned or, in the case of a payment, clearing, or settlement activity, to financial institutions, as soon as practicable, which shall be no later than 24 hours after the waiver or modification in the case of a financial market utility and 3 business days in the case of financial institutions. The Council shall provide the notice to financial institutions by posting a notice on the website of the Council and by publishing a notice in the Federal Register.
(d)(1)Within 60 days of any hearing under subsection (c)(2), the Council shall notify the financial market utility or financial institutions of the final determination of the Council in writing, which shall include findings of fact upon which the determination of the Council is based.
(2)If the Council does not receive a timely request for a hearing under subsection (c)(2), the Council shall notify the financial market utility or financial institutions of the final determination of the Council in writing not later than 30 days after the expiration of the date by which a financial market utility or a financial institution could have requested a hearing. All notices to financial institutions under this subsection shall be published in the Federal Register.
(e)The Council may extend the time periods established in subsections (c) and (d) as the Council determines to be necessary or appropriate.
