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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.

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Visa U.S. Small Business Outlook (Fall 2020)

Wayne Best, Chief Economist at Visa, shares that “small businesses are far less likely to be delinquent on their credit cards. See full report for details on small business payments trends.
December 01, 2020 | News  

Visa Global Economic Insights (Nov. 2020)

This month’s report includes details on: how advanced economies have recovered faster from the economic downturn; three distinct ways in which consumers have adapted in those markets; the COVID-19 Economic Impact Index; and regional recovery updates.
December 01, 2020 | News  

ICBA Statement on Janet Yellen's Treasury Secretary Nomination

Independent Community Bankers of America President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued a statement on Janet Yellen's nomination for Treasury secretary.
November 30, 2020 | Press Release   Department of Treasury 

SBA issues instructions on "loan necessity" questionnaires

The SBA issued to lenders a letter and instructions on the agency's "loan necessity" questionnaire for Paycheck Protection Program loans of $2 million or more.
November 30, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending 

ICBA calling for lame-duck grassroots

ICBA is calling on community bankers to urge Congress to pass much-needed economic stimulus measures during the lame-duck session.
November 30, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Crisis Preparedness Lending 

ICBA guide details EIDL lien requirements

ICBA is reminding community bankers about the procedures for renewing or refinancing a line of credit for a borrower with an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
November 30, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending 

ICBA pushes back on PPP 'loan necessity' questionnaire

ICBA has raised questions about an SBA "loan necessity" questionnaire for Paycheck Protection Program loans of $2 million or more that appears to go against the language of the CARES Act.
November 25, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness 

OCC issues proposal on CRA general performance standards

The OCC issued a proposed rule on Community Reinvestment Act general performance standards with a 60-day comment period.
November 25, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance CRA 

FHFA raises conforming loan limits for 2021

The Federal Housing Finance Agency increased the maximum conforming loan limits for mortgages acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2021.
November 25, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Mortgage Rules 

Bills would address EIDL-PPP conflict

ICBA recently expressed strong support for House and Senate legislation that would restore forgiveness for Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance recipients who also have a Paycheck Protection Program loan.
November 25, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness 

Register Today for the Virtual ICBA ThinkTECH Policy Summit

ICBA is hosting a virtual ICBA ThinkTECH Policy Summit to bring the nation’s community banks together with key stakeholders to discuss fintech policies and opportunities for further collaboration in support of community bank innovation.
November 24, 2020 | Press Release  

CFPB updates HMDA filing guide

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released an update to its Filing Instructions Guide for HMDA data collected in 2021 and reported in 2022.
November 24, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Compliance 

OCC updates rule on activities and operations

The OCC issued a final rule designed to update or eliminate outdated regulatory requirements.
November 24, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Regulatory Relief 

PPP loan forgiveness tops $38B

The Small Business Administration said it has forgiven 367,321 Paycheck Protection Program loans worth $38.4 billion as of noon Sunday.
November 24, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness 

Agencies respond to ICBA push on asset thresholds

Federal regulators announced ICBA-advocated relief from regulatory burdens caused by participating in federal coronavirus response programs.
November 23, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance Crisis Preparedness 

ICBA calling for lame-duck grassroots

ICBA is calling on community bankers to urge Congress to pass much-needed economic stimulus measures during the lame-duck session.
November 23, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

ICBA seeks comment extension on OCC charter applications

ICBA and other groups asked the OCC to extend the comment period on two national bank charter applications with Dec. 7 deadlines.
November 23, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   OCC 

Shelton nomination doesn't advance as Brooks gets OCC nod

Judy Shelton's Federal Reserve Board nomination failed to advance in the Senate as supportive Republican Sens. Charles Grassley (Iowa) and Rick Scott (Fla.) quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure.
November 18, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Federal Reserve 

ICBA guide details EIDL lien requirements

ICBA is reminding community bankers about the procedures for renewing or refinancing a line of credit for a borrower with an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
November 18, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending 

ICBA pushes back on PPP 'loan necessity' questionnaire

ICBA raised questions about an SBA "loan necessity" questionnaire for Paycheck Protection Program loans of $2 million or more that appears to go against the language of the CARES Act.
November 18, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

FHFA issues 2021 multifamily loan purchase caps

The Federal Housing Finance Agency said the 2021 multifamily loan purchase caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be $70 billion for each enterprise.
November 18, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Mortgage Rules Federal Housing Finance Agency 

ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator 2021 registration open

Registration is now open for ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator 2021, ICBA's collaboration with The Venture Center to foster innovative products and services for community banks.
November 17, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

Advocacy push continues during lame-duck Congress

While the 116th Congress winds down in the coming weeks, ICBA's efforts to pass much-needed economic stimulus measures continue unabated, ICBA's Paul Merski writes in a new Main Street Matters post.
November 17, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Crisis Preparedness 

OCC rule updates licensing requirements

The OCC released a final rule updating and clarifying licensing policies and procedures. The final rule makes various changes to the OCC’s Rules, Policies, and Procedures for Corporate Activities, 12 CFR part 5.
November 17, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance 

CFPB, Colorado AG hosting joint office hours

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Office of the Colorado Attorney General announced joint office hours focused on financial innovation on Dec. 2.
November 17, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 

Post-election briefing recording available

A recording of ICBA's latest Community Bank Briefing featuring a post-election and regulatory update is available for download.
November 16, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

CFPB issues debt-collection compliance guide

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a guide on its compliance aids related to its final rule implementing the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
November 16, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance Compliance 

ICBA offers new custom grassroots message

ICBA this week launched a new customizable grassroots message for community bankers urging Congress to include common-sense policies in any economic stimulus package.
November 13, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending 

Payment info in credit reports varies by account type: CFPB

The share of installment-loan credit accounts with payment amount information furnished to credit reporting agencies has trended upward to more than 90 percent, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported.
November 13, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 

CFPB issues resources on housing help

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released brochures, videos, and other resources to help consumers seeking mortgage and housing assistance during the coronavirus national emergency.
November 13, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Compliance 

Visa American Mood Trends Report (November 2020)

The Visa Business and Economics Insights team reports on consumer confidence in October.
November 10, 2020 | News  

DOJ sues to block Visa acquisition of Plaid

The Justice Department sued Visa to stop its $5.3 billion acquisition of Plaid, a fintech firm. The DOJ said Visa is a monopolist in online debit services while Plaid is developing a payments platform that would challenge Visa’s monopoly.
November 06, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Fintech Regulation 

ICBA raises questions over CDFI proposal

ICBA expressed concern with a CDFI Fund proposal that would diminish the number of Community Development Financial Institutions and threaten the survival of the program.
November 06, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   CRA 

CFPB grants no-action letter for BofA small-dollar products

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau granted a no-action letter to Bank of America for certain small-dollar credit products for BofA customers.
November 06, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 

Unlimited webinars for educational binge-watching

Community Banker University's Unlimited Webinar Pass helps community bankers keep up with emerging trends and regulatory issues by offering unlimited access to more than 70 live and 100 on-demand webinars.
November 05, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

Payments continue going digital: BIS

The Bank for International Settlements reported sizable growth in digital payments across many leading economies prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
November 05, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Payments 

EIDL-PPP grassroots push continues

While ICBA works with policymakers to address Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance deductions from PPP forgiveness amounts, it continues encouraging community bankers and their small-business contacts to weigh in with Congress.
November 04, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness 

Coin Task Force seeks survey responses

The U.S. Coin Task Force is seeking feedback on a five-minute survey on coin circulation disruptions. Survey responses are due by close of business Wednesday, Nov. 11.
November 04, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy 

ICBA keeps up EIDL push as pressure rises

ICBA is urging community bankers to direct borrowers to ICBA's small-business alert addressing Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance deductions from PPP forgiveness amounts.
November 03, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

ICBA releasing election analysis tomorrow

With Election Day polls closing tonight, ICBA tomorrow will release an analysis on the 2020 election results and what they mean for community banks.
November 03, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

Senator ups pressure to address EIDL-PPP conflict

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) called on Senate Small Business Committee leaders to resolve the conflict between Economic Injury Disaster Loan advances and the Paycheck Protection Program that ICBA has repeatedly spotlighted.
November 02, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

Fed increases access to Main Street Lending Program

The Federal Reserve Board reduced the minimum loan size for its Main Street Lending Program from $250,000 to $100,000 and adjusted fees to encourage the provision of smaller loans.
November 02, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

CFPB issues debt-collection rule with ICBA-advocated change

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a final rule to implement the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which restricts debt collector communications with consumers.
November 02, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance Compliance 

Visa Global Economic Insights (Oct. 2020)

The latest Global Economic Insights report from Visa provides a COVID-19 Economic Impact Index, plus insights on travel and tourism recovery and small and medium-sized business reopenings.
November 02, 2020 | News  

From redlining to modernization: A CRA overview

The Community Reinvestment Act was designed to stop redlining, the impact of which is still felt in metro areas today. We look at the past and current CRA, including upcoming revisions from regulators.
November 01, 2020 | Independent Banker   Advocacy 

How Fidelity Bank boosts nonprofits

Beyond standing by its community for more than a century, Fidelity Bank supports nearby nonprofits through financial support, volunteering and specialized banking products.
November 01, 2020 | Independent Banker  

Rebeca Romero Rainey: Developing innovation strategy

Community banks are independent institutions fueled by the needs of their individual communities, so what constitutes innovation will look and feel different for every bank.
November 01, 2020 | Independent Banker  

Agencies propose regulation on supervisory guidance

Federal financial regulators invited comment on a proposal outlining and confirming the agencies’ use of supervisory guidance for regulated institutions. The proposal would codify their September 2018 statement clarifying the differences between regulations and guidance.
October 30, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Regulatory Relief 

Checks decline at faster pace as alternative payments grow: Fed

The Federal Reserve Board said the number of checks issued from 2015 to 2018 declined by 8.2 percent per year, a faster pace than the previously reported 7.2 percent annual decrease.
October 30, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Federal Reserve 

Grassroots on EIDL advances continues

ICBA continues urging community bankers to direct borrowers to ICBA's small-business alert addressing Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance deductions from PPP forgiveness amounts. ICBA also offers a separate alert for community bankers.
October 30, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

Passageways Invests in Global Organizations Recovering from COVID-19 Disruption by Offering 90 Days of Free Access to OnBoard

Passageways announced that new accounts are eligible to receive 3 months (90 days) of free access to OnBoard when purchased by December 31, 2020.
October 29, 2020 | News  

Alex Galeano Joins ICBA as SEVP and Chief Financial Officer

The Independent Community Bankers of America today announced that Alex Galeano has joined the organization as senior executive vice president and chief financial officer.
October 28, 2020 | Press Release  

Senate bill responds to ICBA asset-threshold push

New legislation introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is designed to protect borrowers and lenders from regulatory penalties associated with the Paycheck Protection Program after ICBA raised the issue with policymakers.
October 28, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending 

Romero Rainey: Grassroots needed on EIDL-PPP

ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey called on community bankers to contact Congress and engage small-business customers on the growing conflict between PPP loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan advances.
October 28, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

Court blocks ICBA-backed 'disparate impact

A federal court this week blocked implementation of HUD's ICBA-supported final rule amending its interpretation of the Fair Housing Act’s "disparate impact" standard.
October 28, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   FHA/HUD Housing Finance/GSEs 

ICBA-Backed Bill Stops Unintended Regulations from PPP Lending

ICBA and the nation's community banks support new legislation that would prevent regulatory penalties for community banks with $15 billion or less in total assets due to their PPP lending, said ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey.
October 26, 2020 | Press Release   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending 

Proposal would expand BSA recordkeeping

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and Federal Reserve Board invited comment on a proposed rule that would amend Bank Secrecy Act recordkeeping and travel rule regulations.
October 26, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance Compliance 

ICBA continues push on EIDL advances

ICBA continues calling on community bankers to direct borrowers to ICBA's small-business alert addressing Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advances from borrower PPP forgiveness amounts.
October 23, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending 

ICBA PPP video promotion continues on social media

ICBA is urging community bankers to retweet and share on social media its ongoing series of videos featuring Paycheck Protection Program borrowers to continue raising the industry's profile.
October 23, 2020 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy Crisis Preparedness Lending 

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