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OFAC issues new executive order connected to Burmese military coup, adds sanctions targets under new order
On February 11, President Biden issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14014, “Blocking Property With Respect To The Situation In Burma.” Among other things, the new executive order permits the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to target any person determined to operate in the defense sector of the Burmese economy, or any other sector of the economy as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. The order also targets persons determined to have undermined democracy, threatened peace or stability, or engaged in a number of other activities threatening freedoms or human rights in Burma, and other persons determined to be a leader, part of, or associated with the Government of Burma. Under this new authority, OFAC announced sanctions against 10 current and former military officials and three entities connected to a Burmese military coup. The sanctions “specifically target those who played a leading role in the overthrow of Burma’s democratically elected government.” As a result of the sanctions all property and interests in property belonging to the sanctioned individuals and entities, and “any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them,” subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any dealings involving the property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons, unless exempt or authorized by a general or specific license.
Yellen addresses “digital divide”
On February 9 and 10, the U.S. Treasury Department hosted its U.S. Financial Sector Innovation Policy Roundtable, which convened public and private sector experts “to exchange views for collaborating on policy issues and innovative technologies that support global financial integrity, while fostering economic recovery, competitiveness, and financial inclusion.” Treasury Secretary Yellen delivered the opening remarks touching on the enactment of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 (covered by InfoBytes here), noting that the law is timely as “we’re living amidst an explosion of risk related to fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, and data privacy.” Moreover, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the world has seen “more sophisticated” cyberattacks. Yellen asserts that the pandemic has highlighted the “digital divide” in the country and that “millions of people remain disconnected from the financial system.” Similar to broadband deserts, there are “financial services deserts,” as shown the Paycheck Protection Program’s issues with reaching small businesses in communities of color. Yellen concluded that “just as much as we need responsible innovation, we also need equitable innovation; tools that can help bring the benefits of the financial system and modern IT to more people.”
OFAC amends Venezuela-related general license
On February 2, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Venezuela-related General License (GL) 30A, which authorizes certain necessary to port and airport operations that would otherwise be prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 13884, as incorporated into the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. (See previous InfoBytes coverage here.) Effective February 2, G.L. 30A replaces G.L. 30, which was issued in August of 2019.
OCC releases CRA determinations, distressed and underserved areas
On January 29, the OCC published Bulletin 2021-5, containing lists of bank type determinations and distressed and underserved areas for 2021, and its computation of the banking industry’s median hourly compensation value. The information is applicable to national banks, federal and state savings associations, and federal branches of foreign banks subject to the agency’s 2020 final rule to modernize the regulatory framework implementing the Community Reinvestment Act rule (CRA). As previously covered by a Buckley Special Alert, the 2020 final rule, among other things (i) updated deposit-based assessment areas; (ii) mandated the inclusion of consumer loans in CRA evaluations; and (iii) included a non-exhaustive illustrative list of activities that qualify for CRA consideration. The 2021 list of bank type determinations identifies banks based on asset size or business model. According to the OCC, a bank’s type will “generally determine[] the performance standards and related examination procedures used to evaluate that bank’s CRA performance.” The agency’s list of distressed or underserved areas identifies tracts where banks participating in qualifying activities may receive CRA consideration under the final rule’s community development definition. Finally, the OCC states that the banking industry median hourly compensation value applicable to qualifying community development service activities will be $39.03. This figure, the agency explains, will be “used to quantify the value of a bank’s community development services” performed from October 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021.
OCC delays fair access rule
On January 28, the OCC announced it has paused publication of a final rule that would ensure covered national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches and agencies of foreign bank organizations provide all customers fair access to financial services. Delaying publication in the Federal Register “will allow the next confirmed Comptroller of the Currency to review the final rule and the public comments the OCC received, as part of an orderly transition,” the agency explained. Under the final rule (covered by InfoBytes here), banks would be required to grant fair access to financial services, capital, and credit based on the risk assessment of individual customers, rather than broad-based decisions affecting whole categories or classes of customers. The OCC confirmed, however, that its “long-standing supervisory guidance stating that banks should avoid termination of broad categories of customers without assessing individual customer risk remains in effect.”
As previously covered by InfoBytes, on January 20, the Biden administration broadly directed the heads of executive departments and agencies across the federal government (without specifying which departments or agencies are covered) to “immediately withdraw” or delay action on any pending regulations not yet published in the Federal Register.
OFAC amends communist Chinese military companies general license and related FAQs
On January 27, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License (GL) 1A, “Authorizing Transactions Involving Securities of Certain Communist Chinese Military Companies,” which supersedes and replaces GL 1 (covered by InfoBytes here). GL 1A permits transactions and activities otherwise prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 13959 involving “publicly traded securities, or any securities that are derivative of, or are designed to provide investment exposure to such securities, of any entity whose name closely matches, but does not exactly match, the name of a Communist Chinese Military Companies List as defined by section 4(a) of E.O. 13959, as amended.” OFAC also published related frequently asked questions 878 and 879, the latter of which clarifies that GL 1A does not authorize transactions with subsidiaries of companies on the Communist Chinese Military Companies List.
OFAC issues counter terrorism general license
On January 25, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License (GL) 13, “Authorizing Transactions Involving Ansarallah,” and a related amended frequently asked question. GL 13 authorizes certain transactions and activities ordinarily prohibited by the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, the Foreign Terrorist Organizations Sanctions Regulations, or Executive Order 13224, through February 26. GL 13 does not, however, authorize the unblocking of any funds in accounts of Ansarallah that were blocked as of January 25. Additionally, FAQ 876 clarifies that non-U.S. persons “may engage in or facilitate transactions involving Ansarallah, or any entity in which Ansarallah owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest, without exposure to sanctions under E.O. 13224, as amended, if such activity would be authorized under General Licenses (GLs) 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 if engaged in by a U.S. person” (The issuance of the referenced licenses by OFAC is covered by InfoBytes here).
Fed proposes SAR filing exemptions
On January 22, the Federal Reserve Board published a notice of proposed rulemaking, which would modify the requirements to file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) for state member banks, Edge and agreement corporations, U.S. offices of foreign banking organizations supervised by the Federal Reserve, and bank holding companies and their nonbank subsidiaries. The proposal would amend the Board’s SAR regulations to allow for the issuance of exemptions from the requirements of those regulations. As previously covered by InfoBytes, in December, the FDIC and the OCC issued similar proposals. As with the OCC and the FDIC proposals, the Board’s proposal is intended “to facilitate supervised institutions in meeting Bank Secrecy Act requirements more efficiently and effectively, including through development of innovative solutions.” Comments on the proposed rule are due February 22.
Fed finalizes rule updating capital planning and stress testing requirements
On January 19, the Federal Reserve Board adopted a final rule updating the agency’s capital planning and stress testing requirements applicable to large bank holding companies and U.S. intermediate holding companies of foreign banking organizations. Among other things, the final rule, which is generally similar to the Fed’s September 2020 notice of proposed rulemaking (covered by InfoBytes here), conforms the capital planning, regulatory reporting, and stress capital buffer requirements for firms with $100 billion or more in total assets (Category IV) with the tailored regulatory framework approved by the Fed in 2019 (covered by InfoBytes here). The final rule also makes additional changes to the Fed’s stress testing rules, stress testing policy statement, and regulatory reporting requirements related to “business plan changes and capital actions and the publication of company-run stress test results for savings and loan holding companies.” In addition, the Fed’s capital planning and stress capital buffer requirements will now apply to covered saving and loan holding companies subject to Category II, III, and IV standards under the tailoring framework. The Fed notes that firms in the lowest risk category are on a two-year stress test cycle and will not be subject to company-run stress test requirements. The final rule takes effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Agencies release SARs/AML consideration FAQs
On January 19, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Federal Reserve Board, FDIC, NCUA, and the OCC, in consultation with staff at certain other federal functional regulators, published answers to frequently asked questions concerning suspicious activity reporting (SAR) and other anti-money laundering (AML) considerations. The answers clarify financial institutions’ commonly asked questions about SARs/AML regulatory requirements and are provided to assist financial institutions with their Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)/AML compliance obligations in order to enable them “to focus resources on activities that produce the greatest value to law enforcement agencies and other government users of [BSA] reporting.” Topics discussed include (i) law enforcement requests for financial institutions to maintain accounts; (ii) receipt of grand jury subpoenas and law enforcement inquiries and SAR filings; (iii) maintaining customer relationships following the filing of SARs; (iv) filing SARs based on negative news identified in media searches; (v) information provided in SAR data and narrative fields; and (vi) SAR character limits. The agencies note that the FAQs do not alter existing BSA/AML requirements or establish new supervisory expectations, but have been developed in response to recent recommendations as described more thoroughly in FinCEN’s Advance Notice or Proposed Rulemaking issued last September on AML program effectiveness (covered by InfoBytes here).