PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Welcome 2017, and What’s Ahead for Us? An unexpected election result in November changed the landscape and our expectations for banking policies. I thought I should try to set out some of our priorities for the new Congress and the Trump administration, and set the stage for what in theory could be a very productive year in Washington. The potential for positive change is because the landscape our regulators and legislators now face has changed. We have a Republican House, Senate and White House, and that arguably increases the chances for pro-banking legislation making it to the President’s desk. What we will have to see is what part or parts of revised laws and regs our new President will sign. We think at this time he leans in our favor. Know this however, nothing of importance will be done without some bipartisan support. For any bill to be enacted, it still needs 60 votes in the Senate. Our industry is starting 2017 with our advocacy efforts much more clearly defined and with a much friendlier atmosphere for banking. This includes on the regulatory side, where new leadership at the agencies will provide many
significant opportunities to improve banking conditions. The Trump administration will have the task of appointing new heads of the OCC (Comptroller Curry’s term expires in March 2017), FDIC (Chairman Gruenberg’s term expires in November 2017), Federal Reserve Board (Chairman Yellen’s term as chair expires in February 2018) and the CFPB (Director Richard Cordray’s term expires in July 2018). We are looking forward to the opportunity to work with new leadership at these and other key regulatory agencies. AmBA’s Government Relations Council leadership and ABA’s Board of Directors considered this new landscape in mid-December when they deliberated our policy priorities for the coming year, which include mortgage lending regulatory relief, elimination of arbitrary asset thresholds, simpler capital rules, charter choice, compliance rules that genuinely help us help customers and more. Bankers also discussed the value of advocating policy solutions that are outside banks’ bottomline interest but that help the economy grow and
ABA STAFF
BILL HOLMES
PRESIDENT/CEO 501.978.3602 | bill.holmes@arkbankers.org
CARLA BRINKLEY
VP/CONTROLLER 501.978.3608 | carla.brinkley@arkbankers.org
AVA F. ROBERTS
BARRY JACKSON
SVP/COO 501.978.3613 | barry.jackson@arkbankers.org
KAMI T. COLEMAN
VP/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 501.978.3614 | kami.coleman@arkbankers.org
TRACI LOGSDON
VP/DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 501.978.3606 | ava.roberts@arkbankers.org
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS 501.978.3603 | traci.logsdon@arkbankers.org
JESSICA SAHENE
BRENDA SCARBROUGH
MARKETING COORDINATOR 501.978.3609 | jessica.sahene@arkbankers.org
HEATHER HAILE
COMMUNICATIONS INTERN 501.978.3603 | marketing@arkbankers.org
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PRESIDENT & CEO BILL HOLMES
The TheArkansas ArkansasBanker Banker || January January2017 2017
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR 501.978.3607 | brenda.scarbrough@arkbankers.org
