Legis Daily

FIRM Act

USA119th CongressS-875| Senate 
| Updated: 3/18/2025
Tim Scott

Tim Scott

Republican Senator

South Carolina

Cosponsors (12)
Katie Boyd Britt (Republican)Thomas Tillis (Republican)Jim Banks (Republican)Cynthia M. Lummis (Republican)Mike Rounds (Republican)Kevin Cramer (Republican)John Kennedy (Republican)Bill Hagerty (Republican)David McCormick (Republican)Bernie Moreno (Republican)Pete Ricketts (Republican)Mike Crapo (Republican)

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The Financial Integrity and Regulation Management Act, or FIRM Act, seeks to prevent the political weaponization of federal banking agencies by eliminating "reputational risk" as a component of depository institution supervision. Congress finds that the primary goal of financial regulation is safety and soundness, and all legal businesses should have equal access to financial services without unlawful discrimination or political influence. The bill asserts that reputational risk is a subjective concept, not based in statute, which allows agencies to pursue political agendas rather than focusing on institutional safety and soundness. The Act specifically defines reputational risk as the potential for negative publicity or public opinion, whether true or not, to adversely impact a depository institution through declining confidence, customer base, litigation, or revenue. It highlights past instances, such as "Operation Choke Point," where federal agencies allegedly used reputational risk to limit financial services for certain industries. To address this, the bill mandates that all federal banking agencies remove references to reputational risk from their guidance, rules, and examination manuals. Furthermore, the FIRM Act explicitly prohibits federal banking agencies from engaging in any activity related to the regulation, supervision, or examination of reputational risk. This includes establishing rules, conducting assessments, issuing supervisory criticisms, making ratings decisions, or taking enforcement actions based on reputational concerns. The legislation also introduces provisions requiring federal financial institutions regulatory agencies to tailor regulations to the specific risk profiles and business models of institutions, aiming to limit regulatory burdens. Agencies are required to review regulations issued over the past seven years to apply this tailoring principle. Additionally, the bill mandates reduced reporting requirements for banks eligible for the Community Bank Leverage Ratio. Finally, it requires federal banking agencies to submit reports to Congress confirming the Act's implementation and detailing policy changes, as well as a separate report on modernizing bank supervision.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

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Timeline
Feb 11, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-1220
Introduced in House
Mar 6, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Mar 6, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Mar 13, 2025
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Mar 18, 2025
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Reported by Senator Scott SC, under authority of the order of the Senate of 03/14/2025 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Mar 18, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 32.
  • February 11, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-1220
    Introduced in House


  • March 6, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 6, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.


  • March 13, 2025
    Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • March 18, 2025
    Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Reported by Senator Scott SC, under authority of the order of the Senate of 03/14/2025 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • March 18, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 32.

Finance and Financial Sector

Related Bills

  • HR 119-2702: FIRM Act
  • HR 119-6955: Main Street Capital Access Act
Banking and financial institutions regulationCongressional oversightFinancial services and investmentsGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigations

FIRM Act

USA119th CongressS-875| Senate 
| Updated: 3/18/2025
The Financial Integrity and Regulation Management Act, or FIRM Act, seeks to prevent the political weaponization of federal banking agencies by eliminating "reputational risk" as a component of depository institution supervision. Congress finds that the primary goal of financial regulation is safety and soundness, and all legal businesses should have equal access to financial services without unlawful discrimination or political influence. The bill asserts that reputational risk is a subjective concept, not based in statute, which allows agencies to pursue political agendas rather than focusing on institutional safety and soundness. The Act specifically defines reputational risk as the potential for negative publicity or public opinion, whether true or not, to adversely impact a depository institution through declining confidence, customer base, litigation, or revenue. It highlights past instances, such as "Operation Choke Point," where federal agencies allegedly used reputational risk to limit financial services for certain industries. To address this, the bill mandates that all federal banking agencies remove references to reputational risk from their guidance, rules, and examination manuals. Furthermore, the FIRM Act explicitly prohibits federal banking agencies from engaging in any activity related to the regulation, supervision, or examination of reputational risk. This includes establishing rules, conducting assessments, issuing supervisory criticisms, making ratings decisions, or taking enforcement actions based on reputational concerns. The legislation also introduces provisions requiring federal financial institutions regulatory agencies to tailor regulations to the specific risk profiles and business models of institutions, aiming to limit regulatory burdens. Agencies are required to review regulations issued over the past seven years to apply this tailoring principle. Additionally, the bill mandates reduced reporting requirements for banks eligible for the Community Bank Leverage Ratio. Finally, it requires federal banking agencies to submit reports to Congress confirming the Act's implementation and detailing policy changes, as well as a separate report on modernizing bank supervision.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Feb 11, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-1220
Introduced in House
Mar 6, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Mar 6, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Mar 13, 2025
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Mar 18, 2025
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Reported by Senator Scott SC, under authority of the order of the Senate of 03/14/2025 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Mar 18, 2025
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 32.
  • February 11, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-1220
    Introduced in House


  • March 6, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 6, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.


  • March 13, 2025
    Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • March 18, 2025
    Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Reported by Senator Scott SC, under authority of the order of the Senate of 03/14/2025 with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • March 18, 2025
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 32.
Tim Scott

Tim Scott

Republican Senator

South Carolina

Cosponsors (12)
Katie Boyd Britt (Republican)Thomas Tillis (Republican)Jim Banks (Republican)Cynthia M. Lummis (Republican)Mike Rounds (Republican)Kevin Cramer (Republican)John Kennedy (Republican)Bill Hagerty (Republican)David McCormick (Republican)Bernie Moreno (Republican)Pete Ricketts (Republican)Mike Crapo (Republican)

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

Finance and Financial Sector

Related Bills

  • HR 119-2702: FIRM Act
  • HR 119-6955: Main Street Capital Access Act
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Banking and financial institutions regulationCongressional oversightFinancial services and investmentsGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigations