Skip to main content
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government
Dot gov
The .gov means it’s official. 
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.
Https
The site is secure. 
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
Joint Release

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

Federal Banking Agencies Provide Banks Additional Flexibility to Support Households and Businesses

March 17, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The federal bank regulatory agencies today announced two actions to support the U.S. economy and allow banks to continue lending to households and businesses. They are:

  • A statement encouraging banks to use their resources to support households and businesses; and
  • A technical change to phase in, as intended, the automatic distribution restrictions gradually if a firm's capital levels decline.

The statement notes that banks have more than doubled their capital and liquidity levels over the past decade and are now substantially safer and stronger than they were previously. As a result, the agencies are encouraging banks to use that strength to support households and businesses. The statement is substantially similar to one issued by the Federal Reserve Board earlier this week.

The technical change is an interim final rule that, if a bank's capital declines by a certain amount, phases in the agencies' automatic distribution restrictions gradually, as intended. Like the statement, the interim final rule facilitates the use of firms' capital buffers to promote lending activity to households and businesses.

Attachment(s)

Last Updated: March 17, 2020