12 U.S.C. § 338a (BANKS AND BANKING)
§ 338a. Investments to promote public welfare and community development; limitation on investments
A State member bank may make investments directly or indirectly, each of which is designed primarily to promote the public welfare, including the welfare of low- and moderate-income communities or families (such as by providing housing, services, or jobs), to the extent permissible under State law. A State member bank shall not make any such investment if the investment would expose the State member bank to unlimited liability. The Board shall limit a State member bank’s investment in any 1 project and a State member bank’s aggregate investments under this paragraph. The aggregate amount of investments of any State member bank under this paragraph may not exceed an amount equal to the sum of 5 percent of the State member bank’s capital stock actually paid in and unimpaired and 5 percent of the State member bank’s unimpaired surplus, unless the Board determines, by order, that a higher amount will pose no significant risk to the affected deposit insurance fund; and the State member bank is adequately capitalized. In no case shall the aggregate amount of investments of any State member bank under this paragraph exceed an amount equal to the sum of 15 percent of the State member bank’s capital stock actually paid in and unimpaired and 15 percent of the State member bank’s unimpaired surplus. The foregoing standards and limitations apply to investments under this paragraph made by a State member bank directly and by its subsidiaries.
(Dec. 23, 1913, ch. 6, § 9(23), formerly § 9 (par.), as added Pub. L. 102–485, § 6(b), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2774; amended Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title II, § 2704(d)(8), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–489; Pub. L. 109–171, title II, § 2102(b), Feb. 8, 2006, 120 Stat. 9; Pub. L. 109–173, § 9(b), Feb. 15, 2006, 119 Stat. 3616; renumbered § 9(23) and amended Pub. L. 109–351, title III, § 305(b), Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1971; Pub. L. 110–289, div. B, title V, § 2503(b), July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2857.)
heading: Codification
text: Section is comprised of par. (23) (the twenty-third par.) of section 9 of act Dec. 23, 1913, as amended. For further details, see Codification note set out under section 321 of this title.
heading: Amendments
text: 2008—Pub. L. 110–289, which directed substitution of “is designed primarily to promote the public welfare, including the welfare of” for “promotes the public welfare by benefitting primarily” in first sentence, was executed by making the substitution for “promotes the public welfare by benefiting primarily” to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
2006—Pub. L. 109–351 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “State member banks may make investments designed primarily to promote the public welfare, including the welfare of low- and moderate-income communities or families (such as by providing housing, services, or jobs), to the extent permissible under State law, and subject to such restrictions and requirements as the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System may prescribe by regulation or order. A bank shall not make any such investment if the investment would expose the bank to unlimited liability. The Board shall limit a bank’s investments in any 1 project and bank’s aggregate investments under this paragraph. A bank’s aggregate investments under this paragraph shall not exceed an amount equal to the sum of 5 percent of the bank’s capital stock actually paid in and unimpaired and 5 percent of the bank’s unimpaired surplus fund, unless the Board determines by order that the higher amount will pose no significant risk to the Deposit Insurance Fund, and the bank is adequately capitalized. In no case shall a bank’s aggregate investments under this paragraph exceed an amount equal to the sum of 10 percent of the bank’s capital stock actually paid in and unimpaired and 10 percent of the bank’s unimpaired surplus fund.”
Pub. L. 109–173, in fourth sentence, substituted “Deposit Insurance Fund” for “affected deposit insurance fund”.
Pub. L. 109–171 repealed Pub. L. 104–208, § 2704(d)(8). See 1996 Amendment note below.
1996—Pub. L. 104—208, § 2704(d)(8), which directed the amendment of the fourth sentence by substituting “Deposit Insurance Fund” for “affected deposit insurance fund”, was repealed by Pub. L. 109–171. See Effective Date of 1996 Amendment note below and 2006 Amendment note above.
heading: Effective Date of 2006 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 109–173 effective Mar. 31, 2006, see section 9(j) of Pub. L. 109–173, set out as a note under section 24 of this title.
Amendment by Pub. L. 109–171 effective no later than the first day of the first calendar quarter that begins after the end of the 90-day period beginning Feb. 8, 2006, see section 2102(c) of Pub. L. 109–171, set out as a Merger of BIF and SAIF note under section 1821 of this title.
heading: Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 104–208 effective Jan. 1, 1999, if no insured depository institution is a savings association on that date, see section 2704(c) of Pub. L. 104–208, formerly set out as a note under section 1821 of this title.