A BILL 
To direct certain Federal banking and credit union agencies 
to promote the formation of de novo regulated institu-
tions through the review of application processes, the 
review of capital raising by de novo regulated institu-
tions, and the establishment of various outreach pro-
grams, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Access to 
Banking Act’’. 
SEC. 2. STREAMLINING APPLICATION PROCESS AND RE-
VIEW OF CAPITAL RAISING BY DE NOVO REG-
ULATED INSTITUTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each of the Federal financial insti-
tutions regulatory agencies shall— 
(1) for the purpose of streamlining the process of 
applying to become a de novo regulated institution, 
conduct a review of any application forms related to 
such process; 
(2) to the extent practicable, gather information 
needed from applicants seeking to become a de novo 
regulated institution from other Federal Government 
agencies or public sources to minimize information 
requests of such applicants; and 
(3) in consultation with the Securities and Ex-
change Commission, review how de novo regulated in-
stitutions raise capital while maintaining investor 
protections, including the impact of— 
(A) general capital raising restrictions; and 
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(B) capital raising restrictions related to 
individuals who are not accredited investors. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this section, and annually for 5 years 
thereafter, each of the Federal financial institutions regu-
latory agencies shall submit to the Committee on Financial 
Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and 
publish on a public website of such agency a report that 
contains— 
(1) a description of the actions taken by such 
agency pursuant to subsection (a); and 
(2) as appropriate, any administrative or legis-
lative recommendations with respect to the purpose 
described in subsection (a)(3). 
SEC. 3. IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH DE NOVO REGU-
LATED INSTITUTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each of the Federal financial insti-
tutions regulatory agencies shall, at the request of an appli-
cant to become a de novo regulated institution, designate 
an employee of the agency as a caseworker, who may per-
form such duty in addition to the other duties of the em-
ployee. 
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(b) CASEWORKER
DUTIES.—Each caseworker de-
scribed in subsection (a) shall, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable— 
(1) meet with the lead organizers applying to be-
come a de novo regulated institution to provide a tu-
torial with respect to the application process; and 
(2) be the primary point of contact of the respec-
tive Federal financial institutions regulatory agency 
for such organizers during the application process. 
(c) NEW CASEWORKER.—Each agency described in 
subsection (a) may designate a new caseworker, as appro-
priate, to support continuity based on staffing and respon-
sibilities assigned to the current caseworker. 
SEC. 4. DE NOVO MENTOR-PROTE´ GE´ PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—At the request of an institution that 
seeks to become a de novo regulated institution, each of the 
Federal financial institutions regulatory agencies shall, to 
the maximum extent practicable, provide a list to such in-
stitution of similar types of institutions that— 
(1) were recently approved to become a de novo 
regulated institution; and 
(2) are interested in volunteering to serve as a 
mentor to provide advice about the de novo applica-
tion process. 
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(b) MENTORSHIP INFORMATION.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of the enactment of this section, each 
of the Federal financial institutions regulatory agencies 
shall provide public information and directions on how an 
institution may request a mentor or serve as a mentor as 
described in subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. STATE AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each of the Federal financial insti-
tutions regulatory agencies shall develop a plan to— 
(1) regularly consult with State regulators to 
promote cooperation between State and Federal bank-
ing and credit union agencies in the creation of de 
novo regulated institutions, including responding to 
any State regulator that requests assistance on how a 
State-chartered financial institution can request Fed-
eral insurance; 
(2) regularly consult with stakeholders, including 
applicants to become de novo regulated institutions 
and recently approved regulated institutions, to in-
form any reforms that may support the creation of de 
novo regulated institutions, including rural institu-
tions, community development financial institutions, 
and minority depository institutions; and 
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(3) provide guidance, training material, and 
regular workshops to assist any interested parties to 
understand such agencies processes. 
(b) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of the enactment of this section, and every 5 
years thereafter, each of the Federal financial institu-
tions regulatory agencies shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Financial Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, 
and Urban Affairs of the Senate the respective plan 
of such agency described in subsection (a). 
(2) PUBLIC COMMENT.—With respect to devel-
oping the plan described in subsection (a), each of the 
Federal financial institutions regulatory agencies 
shall— 
(A) provide an opportunity for public com-
ments; and 
(B) take such public comments into consid-
eration. 
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In this Act: 
(1) FEDERAL
BANKING
AGENCY.—The term 
‘‘Federal banking agency’’ has the meaning given the 
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term in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Act (12 U.S.C. 1813). 
(2) FEDERAL
FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS
REGU-
LATORY AGENCIES.—The term ‘‘Federal financial in-
stitutions regulatory agencies’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 1003 of the Federal Financial In-
stitutions Examination Council Act of 1978 (12 
U.S.C. 3302). 
(3) REGULATED INSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘regu-
lated institution’’ means— 
(A) with respect to a Federal banking agen-
cy, a depository institution (as such term is de-
fined in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insur-
ance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813)) for which the Federal 
banking agency is the appropriate Federal bank-
ing agency (as such term is defined in such sec-
tion 3); and 
(B) with respect to the National Credit 
Union Administration, an insured credit union 
(as such term is defined in section 101 of the 
Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1752)). 
(4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 
several States, the District of Colombia, and each ter-
ritory of the United States. 
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(5) STATE REGULATOR.—The term ‘‘State regu-
lator’’ means— 
(A) with respect to a Federal banking agen-
cy, a State banking regulator; and 
(B) with respect to the National Credit 
Union Administration, the State regulatory 
agency having jurisdiction over a State credit 
union (as such term is defined in section 101 of 
the Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1752)). 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—For purposes of this 
Act, the process of applying to become a de novo regulated 
institution shall include the process of applying for Federal 
deposit insurance, Federal share insurance, or membership 
of a Federal reserve bank. 
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Union Calendar No. 210 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 4544 
[Report No. 119–253] 
A BILL 
To direct certain Federal banking and credit union 
agencies to promote the formation of de novo 
regulated institutions through the review of ap-
plication processes, the review of capital raising 
by de novo regulated institutions, and the estab-
lishment of various outreach programs, and for 
other purposes. 
SEPTEMBER 8, 2025 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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