PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Banks with at least $1,000,000 in capital and surplus can apply to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for permission to do certain foreign and international banking activities under rules the Board sets. With Board approval, a bank can open branches in foreign countries or U.S. dependencies to support U.S. foreign trade and act as a fiscal agent for the United States if needed; invest up to 10% of its paid‑in capital and surplus in the stock of U.S. banks or corporations mainly doing international or dependency banking; and buy and hold stock in foreign banks and lend to those banks within the limits the Board sets. Until January 1, 1921, any national bank of any size may apply to invest up to 5% in U.S. corporations that help exports, but no bank’s total investments under this subchapter may exceed 10% of its capital and surplus. The application must give the bank’s name, capital, the powers requested, and the places where it will operate. The Board may approve or deny the application in whole or in part and may change the number of approved locations over time.

Title 12, §601

Banks and Banking, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any national banking association possessing a capital and surplus of $1,000,000 or more may file application with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for permission to exercise, upon such conditions and under such regulations as may be prescribed by the said board, the following powers: First. To establish branches in foreign countries or dependencies or insular possessions of the United States for the furtherance of the foreign commerce of the United States, and to act if required to do so as fiscal agents of the United States. Second. To invest an amount not exceeding in the aggregate 10 per centum of its paid-in capital stock and surplus in the stock of one or more banks or corporations chartered or incorporated under the laws of the United States or of any State thereof, and principally engaged in international or foreign banking, or banking in a dependency or insular possession of the United States either directly or through the agency, ownership, or control of local institutions in foreign countries, or in such dependencies or insular possessions. Third. To acquire and hold, directly or indirectly, stock or other evidences of ownership in one or more banks organized under the law of a foreign country or a dependency or insular possession of the United States and not engaged, directly or indirectly, in any activity in the United States except as, in the judgment of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, shall be incidental to the international or foreign business of such foreign bank; and, notwithstanding the provisions of section 371c of this title, to make loans or extensions of credit to or for the account of such bank in the manner and within the limits prescribed by the Board by general or specific regulation or ruling. Until January 1, 1921, any national banking association, without regard to the amount of its capital and surplus, may file application with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for permission, upon such conditions and under such regulations as may be prescribed by said board, to invest an amount not exceeding in the aggregate 5 per centum of its paid-in capital and surplus in the stock of one or more corporations chartered or incorporated under the laws of the United States or of any State thereof and, regardless of its location, principally engaged in such phases of international or foreign financial operations as may be necessary to facilitate the export of goods, wares, or merchandise from the United States or any of its dependencies or insular possessions to any foreign country: Provided, however, That in no event shall the total investments authorized by this subchapter by any one national bank exceed 10 per centum of its capital and surplus. Such application shall specify the name and capital of the banking association filing it, the powers applied for, and the place or places where the banking or financial operations proposed are to be carried on. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall have power to approve or to reject such application in whole or in part if for any reason the granting of such application is deemed inexpedient, and shall also have power from time to time to increase or decrease the number of places where such banking operations may be carried on.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in the proviso to the fifth par., was in the original “this section”, meaning section 25 of act Dec. 23, 1913, which is classified to this subchapter (§ 601 et seq.). Codification Section is comprised of the first three undesignated pars. of section 25 of act Dec. 23, 1913, which comprises this subchapter. The fourth undesignated par. of section 25 is classified to section 602 of this title. The fifth undesignated par. of section 25 is classified to section 603 of this title. The sixth undesignated par. of section 25 is classified to section 604 of this title. The former seventh undesignated par. was classified to former section 605 of this title. The seventh undesignated par. is classified to section 604a of this title.

Amendments

1966—Pub. L. 89–485 struck out “either or both of” before “the following powers” in introductory par. Par. Third. Pub. L. 89–485 added par. Third. 1919—Act Sept. 17, 1919, added par. beginning “Until January 21, 1921” and inserted “financial” in first sentence of last par. 1916—Act Sept. 7, 1916, among other changes, added par. Second, and provisions relating to restrictions on purchasing stock in other banks, investigations as to compliance with

Regulations

, disposal of interest and separation of accounts, etc. which are now contained in section 602 et seq. of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

section 203(a) of act Aug. 23, 1935, changed name of Federal Reserve Board to Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Study by Secretary of the Treasury of Discriminatory Practices by Foreign Nations Against United States Banks; Report and Recommendations to Congress Pub. L. 95–369, § 9(a), formerly § 9, Sept. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 623, renumbered Pub. L. 95–630, title III, § 311, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3678, provided that the Secretary of the Treasury conduct a study of discriminatory practices by foreign nations against United States banks and report his findings and recommendations to Congress on or before one year after Sept. 17, 1978, along with a description of efforts taken by the United States to eliminate any foreign laws or practices that discriminate against United States banks or serve as a barrier to the financing of United States exports to any country.

§601 Authorization; Conditions and Regulations