Sponsors (9)
The bill trades clearer, more specific statutory authority for banks (reducing legal ambiguity and compliance burden) against the risk that a fixed numeric limit could be more restrictive than prior language, causing short-term uncertainty and potentially reducing bank activities or raising costs for consumers.
National banks and state member banks will have a clear numeric statutory limit ('15') replacing vague language, reducing legal uncertainty about permitted activities.
Clarifying the statute reduces litigation risk and lowers compliance costs for banks by making the rule easier to interpret and apply.
If the numeric limit of '15' is more restrictive than the prior language, banks could lose some authority to invest or act, potentially limiting services, credit availability, or investment activity.
The bill's insertion is currently unspecified in the U.S. Code text, creating short-term regulatory uncertainty for state member banks about what 'public welfare' investments are permissible until the language is finalized and interpreted.
If banks adjust lending or investment behavior to comply with the new numeric restriction, those higher costs or reduced services could be passed on to consumers or taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Edits numeric/term language in two federal banking statutes: inserts “15” in the national bank corporate-powers sentence and replaces a term in the State member bank public‑welfare provision with new text.
Makes two narrow changes to federal banking law: one replaces a numeric term in the corporate powers clause for national banks with the number “15,” and the other replaces a term in the law that governs State member banks’ “public welfare” investments with a new (unspecified) insertion. It also includes a short-title provision only. The edits change numeric language in two operative statutory sentences and would alter how those statutory limits or references are read and applied by banks and regulators.
Introduced November 4, 2025 by Michael Lawler · Last progress November 4, 2025