Company: ASB
Filing Date: 2025-02-12
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000007789-25-000013
Chunk: 158

Company: ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP
Filing Date: 2025-02-12
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 158
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 current rules related to national banks' ownership of real property. The proposal would provide a set of general standards, including an occupancy test and excess capacity standards, that the OCC will use to determine whether the acquisition and holding of real estate is necessary for the transaction of an institution's business. The prospects and timing for the adoption of a final rule are uncertain at this time.

The laws and regulations to which we are subject are constantly under review by Congress, the federal regulatory agencies, and the state authorities. These laws and regulations could be changed drastically in the future, which could affect our profitability, our ability to compete effectively, or the composition of the financial services industry in which we compete.

Impact of Presidential and Congressional Elections on Recent Rulemaking

Control of the White House and the U.S. Congress shifted to the Republican Party in January 2025 as a result of the November 2024 Presidential and Congressional elections. President Trump and many Republican members of Congress have advocated for a significant reduction of financial services regulation, potentially including amendments to the Dodd-Frank Act and other federal banking laws, and structural changes to the CFPB. The new Administration and Congress may also cause broader economic changes due to changes in governing ideology and governing style. In consideration of these factors, it is possible, though uncertain, that Congress and/or the relevant federal agencies may seek to roll back or modify some or much of the rulemaking and regulatory guidance issued under the Biden administration, particularly the actions taken in the past year. Further, a change in the leadership of the FDIC, OCC and CFPB is expected under the new Administration; however, the timing and impact of each such change in leadership on the regulatory, enforcement and supervisory priorities of each agency are not fully known at this time. It is therefore unclear at the present time what effect the aforementioned changes will have on the banking industry. 

Government Monetary Policies and Economic Controls

Our earnings and growth, as well as the earnings and growth of the banking industry, are affected by the credit policies of monetary authorities, including the Federal Reserve. An important function of the Federal Reserve is to regulate the national supply of bank credit in order to combat recession and curb inflationary pressures. Among the instruments of monetary policy used by the Federal Reserve to implement these objectives are open market operations in U.S. government securities, changes in reserve requirements against member bank deposits, and changes in the Federal Reserve discount rate. These instruments are used in varying combinations to influence overall growth of bank loans, investments, and deposits, and may also affect interest