InfoBytes Blog
Regulators discuss CRA modernization
On August 3, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs held a hearing entitled “Oversight of Regulators: Does our Financial System Work for Everyone?” which, among other things, highlighted the future of the CRA. OCC acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu discussed that the OCC has an aggressive timeline for collaborating with the Federal Reserve and FDIC to release joint rulemaking that modernizes the CRA. In his written testimony, Hsu noted that the OCC is “working to strengthen regulations implementing the [CRA],” such as the May announcement regarding reconsideration of the 2020 final rule overhauling the CRA (covered by InfoBytes here) and calling to prohibit discriminatory practices while promoting financial inclusion and increased access to credit for the unbanked and underbanked. During the hearing, Hsu also pointed out that the CRA is a “complicated law,” so groups “are working pretty much around the clock on coming up with options to strengthen the CRA to make sure that low and moderate-income communities have their needs met.” FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams also discussed that the FDIC has engaged in a multi-year, interagency effort to examine alterations to CRA regulations “that would benefit low- and moderate-income communities and modernize the rules for the first time in a quarter of a century.”