ICBA Newsroom
The ICBA Newsroom collects and centralizes all the NewsWatch Today articles, press releases, Main Street Matters blogs, advocacy letters and other news that impacts community bankers.
Bill would require Fed study on CBDC
Reps. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) and French Hill (R-Ark.) recently introduced legislation directing the Federal Reserve to work with other agencies to study and issue a report on central bank digital currencies.
March 31, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Digital Assets Payments
PPP extension signed into law
President Joe Biden signed into law ICBA-advocated legislation to extend the Paycheck Protection Program ahead of its scheduled expiration. Previously, any PPP application not approved by March 31 could not receive PPP funds.
March 31, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
EIPs heading to federal beneficiaries
The IRS said it expects to begin issuing additional Economic Impact Payments this weekend to federal beneficiaries who do not normally file a tax return.
March 31, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
ICBA Thanks President for Signing PPP Extension
The Independent Community Bankers of America today thanked President Joe Biden for signing into law ICBA-advocated legislation to extend the Paycheck Protection Program ahead of its March 31 expiration.
March 30, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
IRS: PPE is tax deductible
The Internal Revenue Service clarified that the purchase of personal protective equipment, such as masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, for the primary purpose of preventing the spread of COVID-19 are deductible medical expenses.
March 29, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
Deadline for credit union comment letters extended
While ICBA last week submitted its comment letter urging the National Credit Union Administration to withdraw a proposal on credit union services organizations, community banks can still submit comment letters after the agency extended the deadline 30 days.
March 29, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Credit Unions
USDA asks lenders to suspend adverse actions against socially disadvantaged farmers
The USDA’s Farm Service Agency asked lenders to suspend adverse actions against guaranteed farm loan borrowers who are members of socially disadvantaged (SDA) groups while the agency develops a method to pay off SDA borrowers' direct and guaranteed loans.
March 29, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Agriculture USA Farm Loan Programs
ICBA supports bill offering rural lending tax relief
ICBA thanked Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) for introducing legislation to exempt from taxation interest income on farm real estate and rural mortgage loans.
March 26, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Agriculture
ICBA urges credit union capital parity
ICBA called on the NCUA to create a minimum regulatory capital framework that is no less stringent than the Basel III regulatory capital framework in effect for community banks.
March 26, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Credit Unions
ICBA offers Community Banking Month resources
April is Community Banking Month, and ICBA offers resources to help community banks get involved, including a toolkit to help tell the community banking story.
March 25, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
SBA increasing max EIDL amounts
The SBA said it is increasing maximum Economic Injury Disaster Loan amounts for small businesses from $150,000 over six months to $500,000 over 24 months.
March 25, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Lending
State Association Ag Conferences Scheduled
ICBA's affiliated state community banking associations are hosting a series of live and virtual agriculture conferences in 2021.
March 25, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Agriculture
ICBA, Venture Center reveal new set of fintech solutions
ICBA and The Venture Center hosted the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator Virtual Demo Day to demonstrate the third Accelerator cohort's community bank-focused fintech solutions.
March 25, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Big week for PPP, credit union grassroots
With Paycheck Protection Program and credit union issues coming to a head this week in Washington, ICBA is urging community bankers to weigh in with policymakers via its Be Heard grassroots action center.
March 24, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Credit Unions
Large payments companies move to single exam
The Conference of State Bank Supervisors said 13 nationwide payments firms have undergone or are undergoing their single comprehensive exams during the first quarter as part of the "One Company, One Exam" program.
March 24, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Compliance Payments
Cannabis banking bill reintroduced in Senate
ICBA-advocated legislation to establish a cannabis-banking safe harbor in states where cannabis is legal was reintroduced in the Senate following House introduction last week.
March 24, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Cannabis banking
ICBA urges OCC to withdraw bank premises proposal
ICBA and other groups called on the OCC to withdraw a proposed rule to impose a rules-based approach to what national banks and federal savings associations can do with their buildings, land, and facilities.
March 24, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
OCC
Quarles: Focus on ceasing LIBOR use
While policymakers continue planning for the end of LIBOR, financial firms should focus this year on ending new uses of the benchmark interest rate, Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Randal Quarles said in a speech.
March 23, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
LIBOR
Senate taking up PPP extension this week
With the Senate expected to vote this week on House-passed legislation to extend the Paycheck Protection Program, ICBA is urging community bankers to contact their senators in support
March 23, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
SBA updates PPP forms to implement changes
The SBA issued updated Paycheck Protection Program application forms that incorporate last week's interim final rule implementing American Rescue Plan Act changes.
March 23, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
CFPB reports on debt-collection rule
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released its 2020 annual report to Congress on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, including public enforcement action details.
March 23, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Compliance
SBA opening shuttered venue grant applications April 8
The SBA launched an online portal to receive Shuttered Venue Operators Grant applications when the application period begins April 8. The program offers $16 billion in grants for eligible live venues.
March 22, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
ICBA urging grassroots on rural lending tax relief
With National Agriculture Week running through Friday, ICBA is calling on community bankers to advocate support for newly reintroduced legislation to exempt from taxation interest income on farm real estate and rural mortgage loans.
March 22, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Agriculture
Senate bill would expand credit union lending authority
ICBA-opposed legislation designed to expand credit union lending authority was introduced in the Senate.
March 19, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Credit Unions
ICBA-backed cannabis banking safe harbor reintroduced
ICBA expressed support for newly reintroduced bipartisan legislation to establish a safe harbor for financial institutions that serve cannabis-related businesses in states where cannabis is legal.
March 19, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Cannabis banking
New Nacha rules take effect today
Two new Nacha rules take effect today on Same Day ACH and account validation.
March 19, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Compliance
CISA issues tool for detecting threat activity
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released a forensics collection capability to help detect activity related to the supply chain compromises affecting SolarWinds and Active Directory/Microsoft 365.
March 19, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Cybersecurity
90M EIPs disbursed this week
The Treasury Department and IRS said they disbursed roughly 90 million Economic Impact Payments this week.
March 18, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
ICBA urging grassroots outreach on PPP reform
ICBA is urging community bankers to use its Be Heard grassroots action center to urge their members of Congress to make needed changes to the Paycheck Protection Program if it is extended beyond March 31.
March 18, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
ICBA backs bill offering rural lending tax relief
ICBA expressed support for legislation to exempt from taxation interest income on farm real estate and rural mortgage loans.
March 18, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Agriculture USA Farm Loan Programs
House passes PPP extension with Senate outlook in question
The House voted 415-3 to pass ICBA-supported legislation to extend the Paycheck Protection Program, though the Senate outlook remains unclear.
March 17, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
EIPs start depositing today
The first tranche of new Economic Impact Payments sent through the ACH Network is effective today. In a joint statement, ICBA and other financial services groups clarified that the March 17 payment date was chosen by the IRS—not the banking industry.
March 17, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
Farm banks remain strong amid ag challenges: FDIC
Farm banks are vital to U.S. agricultural producers and rural communities, holding 44 percent of bank-held agricultural loans despite holding just 2 percent of U.S. bank loans, according to a new FDIC report.
March 16, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Agriculture
PPP loans reaching smallest borrowers: SBA data
The current round of the Paycheck Protection Program is successfully reaching smaller borrowers, according to recent data from the SBA.
March 16, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
ICBA ThinkTECH Innovation Showcase today
ICBA today is hosting a showcase of 2021 ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator participants and their new technologies available to community banks.
March 16, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
ICBA: Two-tiered deadline will ensure SBA clears PPP loans on hold
ICBA thanked policymakers for introducing The PPP Extension Act of 2021, which pushes the application deadline until May 31 and creates a second deadline of June 30 for the Small Business Administration to clear the thousands of Paycheck Protection Program loan applications in process.
March 15, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
FBI warns of cryptocurrency theft threat
The FBI said federal charges against three computer programmers linked to the North Korean government illustrate the appeal of cryptocurrency markets and exchanges for theft and fraud.
March 15, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Cybersecurity
SBA updates PPP guidance
The Small Business Administration on Friday updated its frequently asked questions as well as its guidance concerning how to calculate revenue reduction and maximum loan amounts for first- and second-draw Paycheck Protection Program loans.
March 15, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending
Agencies propose private flood insurance Q&As
Federal regulators requested comments on 24 proposed interagency questions and answers regarding private flood insurance.
March 12, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Advocacy Flood Insurance Compliance
CFPB rescinds abusiveness policy statement
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said it is rescinding its January 2020 “Statement of Policy Regarding Prohibition on Abusive Acts or Practices.”
March 12, 2021 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Compliance
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