83_FR_17393 83 FR 17317 - Regulatory Capital Rules: Regulatory Capital, Enhanced Supplementary Leverage Ratio Standards for U.S. Global Systemically Important Bank Holding Companies and Certain of Their Subsidiary Insured Depository Institutions; Total Loss-Absorbing Capacity Requirements for U.S. Global Systemically Important Bank Holding Companies

83 FR 17317 - Regulatory Capital Rules: Regulatory Capital, Enhanced Supplementary Leverage Ratio Standards for U.S. Global Systemically Important Bank Holding Companies and Certain of Their Subsidiary Insured Depository Institutions; Total Loss-Absorbing Capacity Requirements for U.S. Global Systemically Important Bank Holding Companies

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 76 (April 19, 2018)

Page Range17317-17327
FR Document2018-08066

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) are seeking comment on a proposal that would modify the enhanced supplementary leverage ratio standards for U.S. top-tier bank holding companies identified as global systemically important bank holding companies, or GSIBs, and certain of their insured depository institution subsidiaries. Specifically, the proposal would modify the current 2 percent leverage buffer, which applies to each GSIB, to equal 50 percent of the firm's GSIB risk-based capital surcharge. The proposal also would require a Board- or OCC-regulated insured depository institution subsidiary of a GSIB to maintain a supplementary leverage ratio of at least 3 percent plus 50 percent of the GSIB risk-based surcharge applicable to its top-tier holding company in order to be deemed ``well capitalized'' under the Board's and the OCC's prompt corrective action rules. Consistent with this approach to establishing enhanced supplementary leverage ratio standards for insured depository institutions, the OCC is proposing to revise the methodology it uses to identify which national banks and Federal savings associations are subject to the enhanced supplementary leverage ratio standards to ensure that they apply only to those national banks and Federal savings associations that are subsidiaries of a Board-identified GSIB. The Board also is seeking comment on a proposal to make conforming modifications to the GSIB leverage buffer of the Board's total loss- absorbing capacity and long-term debt requirements and other minor amendments to the buffer levels, covered intermediate holding company conformance period, methodology for calculating the covered intermediate holding company long-term debt amount, and external total loss-absorbing capacity risk-weighted buffer.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 17317-17327]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08066]


========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 17317]]



DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

12 CFR Part 6

[Docket ID OCC-2018-0002]
RIN 1557-AE35

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

12 CFR Parts 208, 217, and 252

[Docket No. R-1604]
RIN 7100 AF-03


Regulatory Capital Rules: Regulatory Capital, Enhanced 
Supplementary Leverage Ratio Standards for U.S. Global Systemically 
Important Bank Holding Companies and Certain of Their Subsidiary 
Insured Depository Institutions; Total Loss-Absorbing Capacity 
Requirements for U.S. Global Systemically Important Bank Holding 
Companies

AGENCY: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Treasury, and the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Joint notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) 
and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) are seeking 
comment on a proposal that would modify the enhanced supplementary 
leverage ratio standards for U.S. top-tier bank holding companies 
identified as global systemically important bank holding companies, or 
GSIBs, and certain of their insured depository institution 
subsidiaries. Specifically, the proposal would modify the current 2 
percent leverage buffer, which applies to each GSIB, to equal 50 
percent of the firm's GSIB risk-based capital surcharge. The proposal 
also would require a Board- or OCC-regulated insured depository 
institution subsidiary of a GSIB to maintain a supplementary leverage 
ratio of at least 3 percent plus 50 percent of the GSIB risk-based 
surcharge applicable to its top-tier holding company in order to be 
deemed ``well capitalized'' under the Board's and the OCC's prompt 
corrective action rules. Consistent with this approach to establishing 
enhanced supplementary leverage ratio standards for insured depository 
institutions, the OCC is proposing to revise the methodology it uses to 
identify which national banks and Federal savings associations are 
subject to the enhanced supplementary leverage ratio standards to 
ensure that they apply only to those national banks and Federal savings 
associations that are subsidiaries of a Board-identified GSIB. The 
Board also is seeking comment on a proposal to make conforming 
modifications to the GSIB leverage buffer of the Board's total loss-
absorbing capacity and long-term debt requirements and other minor 
amendments to the buffer levels, covered intermediate holding company 
conformance period, methodology for calculating the covered 
intermediate holding company long-term debt amount, and external total 
loss-absorbing capacity risk-weighted buffer.

DATES: Comments must be received by May 21, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to:
    OCC: Because paper mail in the Washington, DC area and at the OCC 
is subject to delay, commenters are encouraged to submit comments 
through the Federal eRulemaking Portal or email, if possible. Please 
use the title ``Regulatory Capital Rules: Regulatory Capital, Enhanced 
Supplementary Leverage Ratio Standards for U.S. Global Systemically 
Important Bank Holding Companies and their Subsidiary Insured 
Depository Institutions'' to facilitate the organization and 
distribution of the comments. You may submit comments by any of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal--``Regulations.gov'': Go to 
www.regulations.gov. Enter ``Docket ID OCC-2018-0002'' in the Search 
Box and click ``Search.'' Click on ``Comment Now'' to submit public 
comments.
     Click on the ``Help'' tab on the Regulations.gov home page 
to get information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for 
submitting public comments.
     Email: regs.comments@occ.treas.gov.
     Mail: Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, 
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th Street SW, suite 3E-
218, Washington, DC 20219.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: 400 7th Street SW, suite 3E-218, 
Washington, DC 20219.
     Fax: (571) 465-4326.
    Instructions: You must include ``OCC'' as the agency name and 
``Docket ID OCC-2018-0002'' in your comment. In general, the OCC will 
enter all comments received into the docket and publish them on the 
Regulations.gov website without change, including any business or 
personal information that you provide such as name and address 
information, email addresses, or phone numbers. Comments received, 
including attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the 
public record and subject to public disclosure. Do not include any 
information in your comment or supporting materials that you consider 
confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure.
    You may review comments and other related materials that pertain to 
this rulemaking action by any of the following methods:
     Viewing Comments Electronically: Go to 
www.regulations.gov. Enter ``Docket ID OCC-2018-0002'' in the Search 
box and click ``Search.'' Click on ``Open Docket Folder'' on the right 
side of the screen and then ``Comments.'' Comments can be filtered by 
clicking on ``View All'' and then using the filtering tools on the left 
side of the screen.
     Click on the ``Help'' tab on the Regulations.gov home page 
to get information on using Regulations.gov. Supporting materials may 
be viewed by clicking on ``Open Docket Folder'' and then clicking on 
``Supporting Documents.'' The docket may be viewed after the close of 
the comment period in the same manner as during the comment period.
     Viewing Comments Personally: You may personally inspect 
and photocopy comments at the OCC, 400 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 
20219. For security reasons, the OCC requires that visitors make an 
appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by calling (202) 649-
6700 or, for persons who are deaf hearing impaired, TTY, (202) 649-
5597. Upon arrival, visitors will be

[[Page 17318]]

required to present valid government-issued photo identification and 
submit to security screening in order to inspect and photocopy 
comments.
    Board: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. R-1604 and 
RIN 7100 AF-03, by any of the following methods:
     Agency website: http://www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments at http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm.
     Email: regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. Include docket 
number and RIN in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (202) 452-3819 or (202) 452-3102.
     Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20551. All public comments are available from the 
Board's website at http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as submitted, unless modified for technical reasons or 
to remove sensitive PII at the commenter's request. Public comments may 
also be viewed electronically or in paper form in Room 3515, 1801 K 
Street NW (between 18th and 19th Streets NW), Washington, DC 20006 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    OCC: Venus Fan, Risk Expert (202) 649-6514, Capital and Regulatory 
Policy; or Carl Kaminski, Special Counsel; Allison Hester-Haddad, 
Counsel, or Christopher Rafferty, Attorney, Legislative and Regulatory 
Activities Division, (202) 649-5490 or, for persons who are deaf or 
hearing impaired, TTY, (202) 649-5597, Office of the Comptroller of the 
Currency, 400 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20219.
    Board: Constance M. Horsley, Deputy Associate Director, (202) 452-
5239; Elizabeth MacDonald, Manager, (202) 475-6316, Holly Kirkpatrick, 
Supervisory Financial Analyst, (202) 452-2796, or Noah Cuttler, Senior 
Financial Analyst (202) 912-4678, Capital and Regulatory Policy, 
Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation; or Benjamin W. 
McDonough, Assistant General Counsel, (202) 452-2036; David Alexander, 
Counsel, (202) 452-2877, Greg Frischmann, Counsel, (202) 452-2803, Mark 
Buresh, Senior Attorney, (202) 452-5270, or Mary Watkins, Attorney, 
(202) 452-3722, Legal Division, Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System, 20th and C Streets NW, Washington, DC 20551. For the 
hearing impaired only, Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD), 
(202) 263-4869.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

A. Post-Crisis Reforms

    In 2013, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 
(Board), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) (together, the agencies) 
adopted a revised regulatory capital rule (capital rule) to address 
weaknesses that became apparent during the financial crisis of 2007-
08.\1\ The capital rule strengthened the capital requirements 
applicable to banking organizations \2\ supervised by the agencies by 
improving both the quality and quantity of regulatory capital and 
increasing the risk-sensitivity of the agencies' capital 
requirements.\3\ The capital rule requires banking organizations to 
maintain a minimum leverage ratio of 4 percent, measured as the ratio 
of a banking organization's tier 1 capital to its average total 
consolidated assets. For a banking organization that meets the capital 
rule's criteria for being considered an advanced approaches banking 
organization, the agencies also established a minimum supplementary 
leverage ratio of 3 percent, measured as the ratio of a firm's tier 1 
capital to its total leverage exposure.\4\ The supplementary leverage 
ratio strengthens the capital requirements for advanced approaches 
banking organizations by including in the definition of total leverage 
exposure many off-balance sheet exposures in addition to on-balance 
sheet assets.
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    \1\ The Board and the OCC issued a joint final rule on October 
11, 2013 (78 FR 62018), and the FDIC issued a substantially 
identical interim final rule on September 10, 2013 (78 FR 55340). In 
April 2014, the FDIC adopted the interim final rule as a final rule 
with no substantive changes. 79 FR 20754 (April 14, 2014).
    \2\ Banking organizations subject to the agencies' capital rule 
include national banks, state member banks, insured state nonmember 
banks, savings associations, and top-tier bank holding companies and 
savings and loan holding companies domiciled in the United States, 
but exclude banking organizations subject to the Board's Small Bank 
Holding Company Policy Statement (12 CFR part 225, appendix C), and 
certain savings and loan holding companies that are substantially 
engaged in insurance underwriting or commercial activities or that 
are estate trusts, and bank holding companies and savings and loan 
holding companies that are employee stock ownership plans.
    \3\ 12 CFR part 3 (OCC); 12 CFR part 217 (Board); 12 CFR part 
324 (FDIC).
    \4\ A banking organization is an advanced approaches banking 
organization if it has consolidated assets of at least $250 billion 
or if it has consolidated on-balance sheet foreign exposures of at 
least $10 billion, or if it is a subsidiary of a depository 
institution, bank holding company, savings and loan holding company, 
or intermediate holding company that is an advanced approaches 
banking organization. See 78 FR 62018, 62204 (October 11, 2013), 78 
FR 55340, 55523 (September 10, 2013).
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    In 2014, the agencies adopted a final rule that established 
enhanced supplementary leverage ratio (eSLR) standards for the largest, 
most interconnected U.S. bank holding companies (eSLR rule) in order to 
strengthen the overall regulatory capital framework in the United 
States.\5\ The eSLR rule, as adopted in 2014, applied to U.S. top-tier 
bank holding companies with consolidated assets over $700 billion or 
more than $10 trillion in assets under custody, and insured depository 
institution (IDI) subsidiaries of holding companies that meet those 
thresholds.
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    \5\ See 79 FR 24528 (May 1, 2014).
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    The eSLR rule requires the largest, most interconnected U.S. top-
tier bank holding companies to maintain a supplementary leverage ratio 
greater than 3 percent plus a leverage buffer of 2 percent to avoid 
limitations on the firm's distributions and certain discretionary bonus 
payments.\6\ The eSLR rule also provides that any IDI subsidiary of 
those bank holding companies must maintain a 6 percent supplementary 
leverage ratio to be deemed ``well capitalized'' under the prompt 
corrective action (PCA) framework of each agency (collectively, the 
eSLR standards).\7\
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    \6\ The leverage buffer in the eSLR rule follows the same 
general mechanics and structure as the capital conservation buffer 
that applies to all banking organizations subject to the capital 
rule. Specifically, similar to the capital conservation buffer, a 
GSIB that maintains a leverage buffer of more than 2 percent of its 
total leverage exposure would not be subject to limitations on its 
distributions and certain discretionary bonus payments. If the GSIB 
maintains a leverage buffer of 2 percent or less, it would be 
subject to increasingly stricter limitations on such payouts. See 12 
CFR 217.11(a).
    \7\ See 12 CFR part 6 (national banks) and 12 CFR part 165 
(Federal savings associations) (OCC), and 12 CFR part 208, subpart D 
(Board).
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    Subsequently, in 2015, the Board adopted a final rule establishing 
a methodology for identifying a firm as a global systemically important 
bank holding company (GSIB) and applying a risk-based capital surcharge 
on such an institution (GSIB surcharge rule).\8\ Under the GSIB 
surcharge rule, a U.S. top-tier bank holding company that is not a 
subsidiary of a foreign banking organization and that is an advanced 
approaches banking organization must determine whether it is a GSIB by 
applying a multifactor methodology based on size, interconnectedness, 
substitutability, complexity, and cross-jurisdictional activity.\9\ As 
part of the

[[Page 17319]]

GSIB surcharge rule, the Board revised the application of the eSLR 
standards to apply to any bank holding company identified as a GSIB and 
to each Board-regulated IDI subsidiary of a GSIB.\10\
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    \8\ 12 CFR 217.402; 80 FR 49082 (August 14, 2015).
    \9\ 12 CFR part 217, subpart H. The methodology provides a tool 
for identifying as GSIBs those banking organizations that pose 
elevated risks.
    \10\ The eSLR rule does not apply to intermediate holding 
companies of foreign banking organizations as such firms are outside 
the scope of the GSIB surcharge rule and cannot be identified as 
U.S. GSIBs.
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    The OCC's current eSLR rule applies to national banks and Federal 
savings associations that are subsidiaries of U.S. top-tier bank 
holding companies with more than $700 billion in total consolidated 
assets or more than $10 trillion total in assets under custody.

B. Review of Reforms

    Post-crisis regulatory reforms, including the capital rule, the 
eSLR rule, and the Board's GSIB surcharge rule, were designed to 
improve the safety and soundness and reduce the probability of failure 
of banking organizations, as well as to reduce the consequences to the 
financial system if such a failure were to occur. For large banking 
organizations in particular, the Board's and the OCC's objective has 
been to establish capital and other prudential requirements at a level 
that not only promotes resilience at the banking organization and 
protects financial stability, but also maximizes long-term through-the-
cycle credit availability and economic growth. In reviewing the post-
crisis reforms both individually and collectively, the Board and the 
OCC have sought comment on ways to streamline and tailor the regulatory 
framework, while ensuring that such firms have adequate capital to 
continue to act as financial intermediaries during times of stress.\11\ 
Consistent with these efforts, the Board and the OCC are proposing 
modifications to the calibration of the eSLR standards to make the 
calibration more consistent with the risk-based capital measures now in 
effect for GSIBs. The proposed recalibration, described further below, 
assumes that the components of the supplementary leverage ratio use the 
capital rule's current definitions of tier 1 capital and total leverage 
exposure. Significant changes to either of these components would 
likely necessitate reconsideration of the proposed recalibration as the 
proposal is not intended to materially change the aggregate amount of 
capital in the banking system.
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    \11\ For example, in 2017, the agencies and the National Credit 
Union Administration (NCUA) submitted a report to Congress pursuant 
to the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act in 
which the agencies and the NCUA committed to meaningfully reducing 
regulatory burden, especially on community banking organizations, 
while at the same time maintaining safety and soundness and the 
quality and quantity of regulatory capital in the banking system. 
Consistent with that commitment, the agencies issued a notice of 
proposed rulemaking in 2017 that would simplify certain aspects of 
the capital rule. 82 FR 49984 (October 27, 2017).
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II. Revisions to the Enhanced Supplementary Leverage Ratio Standards

    The 2007-08 financial crisis demonstrated that robust regulatory 
capital standards are necessary for the safety and soundness of 
individual banking organizations, as well as for the financial system 
as a whole. Within the regulatory capital framework, leverage and risk-
based capital requirements play complementary roles, with each 
offsetting potential risks not addressed by the other. Research shows 
that risk-based and leverage capital measures contain complementary 
information about a bank's condition.\12\ Risk-based capital 
requirements encourage prudent behavior by requiring banking 
organizations to increase capital as risk-taking and the overall risk 
profile at the firm increases. Risk-based measures generally rely on 
either a standardized set of risk weights that are applied to exposure 
categories or on more granular risk weights based on firm-specific data 
and models. However, as observed during the crisis, risk-based measures 
alone may be insufficient in mitigating risks to financial stability 
posed by the largest, most interconnected banking organizations.
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    \12\ See, e.g., Arturo Estrella, Sangkyun Park, and Stavros 
Peristiani (2000): ``Capital Ratios as Predictors of Bank Failure,'' 
Federal Reserve Bank of New York Economic Policy Review.
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    In contrast, a leverage ratio does not differentiate the amount of 
capital required by exposure type. Rather, a leverage ratio puts a 
simple and transparent lower bound on banking organization leverage. A 
leverage ratio protects against underestimation of risk both by banking 
organizations and by risk-based capital requirements. It also 
counteracts the inherent tendency of banking organization leverage to 
increase in a boom and fall in a recession.\13\
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    \13\ See, e.g., Galo Nu[ntilde]o and Carlos Thomas (2017): 
``Bank Leverage Cycles,'' American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics.
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    Leverage capital requirements should generally act as a backstop to 
the risk-based requirements. If a leverage ratio is calibrated at a 
level that makes it generally a binding constraint through the economic 
and credit cycle, it can create incentives for firms to reduce 
participation in or increase costs for low-risk, low-return businesses. 
At the same time, a leverage ratio that is calibrated at too low of a 
level will not serve as an effective complement to a risk-based capital 
requirement.\14\
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    \14\ 78 FR 51101, 51105-6 (August 20, 2013); 78 FR 57725, 57727-
8 (September 26, 2014).
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    In 2014, consistent with these goals, the agencies adopted a final 
eSLR rule that increased leverage capital requirements. The standards 
in the final eSLR rule were designed and calibrated to strengthen the 
largest and most interconnected banking organizations' capital base and 
to preserve the complementary relationship between risk-based and 
leverage capital requirements in recognition that risk-based capital 
requirements had increased in stringency and amount. As the agencies 
observed in the preamble to the proposed eSLR rule, approximately half 
of the bank holding companies subject to the eSLR rule that were bank 
holding companies in 2006 would have met or exceeded a 3 percent 
supplementary leverage ratio, suggesting that the minimum leverage 
standard in the eSLR rule should be greater than 3 percent to constrain 
pre-crisis buildup of leverage at the largest banking 
organizations.\15\ Based on experience during the financial crisis of 
2007-08, the agencies determined that there could be benefits to 
financial stability and reduced costs to the Deposit Insurance Fund if 
the largest and most interconnected banking organizations were required 
to meet an eSLR standard in addition to the 3 percent minimum 
supplementary leverage ratio requirement. Accordingly, the eSLR rule 
required the largest banking organizations to maintain a leverage 
buffer of 2 percent to avoid limitations on distributions and certain 
discretionary bonus payments, and established a 6 percent ``well 
capitalized'' threshold for IDI subsidiaries of these banking 
organizations.
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    \15\ This analysis was based on fourth quarter 2006 data 
compiled from the FR Y-9C report (consolidated bank holding 
companies), the FFIEC 031 report (banks), the FDIC failed banks 
list, and attributes data for bank holding companies from the 
National Information Center.
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    Over the past few years, banking organizations have raised concerns 
that in certain cases, the standards in the eSLR rule have generally 
become a binding constraint rather than a backstop to the risk-based 
standards. Thus, the current calibration of the eSLR rule may create 
incentives for banking organizations bound by the eSLR standards to 
reduce participation in or increase costs for lower-risk, lower-return 
businesses, such as secured repo financing, central clearing services 
for market participants, and

[[Page 17320]]

taking custody deposits, notwithstanding client demand for those 
services. Accordingly, in light of the experience gained since the 
initial adoption of the eSLR standards, and to avoid potential negative 
outcomes, the Board and the OCC are proposing to recalibrate the 
standards in the eSLR rule.

A. GSIB Surcharge Rule and Firm-Specific Surcharges

    The GSIB surcharge rule is designed both to ensure that a GSIB 
holds capital commensurate with its systemic risk and to provide a GSIB 
with an incentive to adjust its systemic footprint.\16\ Under the GSIB 
surcharge rule, a firm's GSIB surcharge varies according to the firm's 
systemic importance as measured using the methodology outlined in the 
rule. Accordingly, the framework set forth in the GSIB surcharge rule, 
which had not yet been proposed at the time the agencies adopted the 
eSLR rule, would provide a mechanism for tailoring the eSLR standards 
based on measures of systemic risk.
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    \16\ As laid out in the white paper accompanying the GSIB 
surcharge rule, the risk-based GSIB surcharges were calibrated to 
equalize the expected impact on the stability of the financial 
system of the failure of a GSIB with the expected systemic impact of 
the failure of a large bank holding company that is not a GSIB 
(expected impact approach). 80 FR 49082 (August 14, 2015).
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B. Prompt Corrective Action Requirements

    The PCA framework establishes levels of capitalization at which an 
IDI will become subject to limits on activities or to closure.\17\ 
While the capital rule incorporated the 3 percent supplementary 
leverage ratio minimum requirement into the PCA framework as an 
``adequately capitalized'' threshold for any IDI subsidiary that is an 
advanced approaches banking organization, it did not specify a 
corresponding supplementary leverage ratio threshold at which such an 
IDI subsidiary would be considered ``well capitalized.'' The eSLR rule 
subsequently established a 6 percent supplementary leverage ratio 
threshold at which IDI subsidiaries of the largest and most complex 
banking organizations would be considered ``well capitalized.'' \18\ 
However, since adoption of the eSLR rule, banking organizations have 
raised concerns that the calibration of the eSLR standard at the IDI 
subsidiary level has created incentives, similar to those created at 
the GSIB holding company level, for IDI subsidiaries to reduce 
participation in or increase costs for low-risk, low-return businesses. 
Specifically, banking organizations have stated that the eSLR standard 
as applied at the IDI subsidiary level may create disincentives for 
firms bound by the eSLR standard to provide certain banking functions, 
such as secured repo financing, central clearing services for market 
participants, and taking custody deposits. In order to decrease 
incentives for firms to reduce participation in or increase costs for 
low-risk, low-return businesses, which may have an adverse effect on 
safety and soundness, and to help ensure that leverage requirements 
generally serve as a backstop to risk-based capital requirements, the 
Board and the OCC are proposing to modify the eSLR standards applicable 
to Board- and OCC-regulated IDI subsidiaries. In order to be consistent 
with the Board's regulations for identifying GSIBs and measuring the 
eSLR standards for holding companies and their IDI subsidiaries, the 
OCC also is proposing to revise its eSLR rule to ensure that it will 
apply to only those national banks and Federal savings associations 
that are subsidiaries of holding companies identified as GSIBs under 
the GSIB surcharge rule.
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    \17\ The levels are critically undercapitalized, significantly 
undercapitalized, undercapitalized, adequately capitalized, and well 
capitalized. See 12 CFR part 6 (national banks); 12 CFR part 165 
(Federal savings associations) (OCC); and 12 CFR part 208, subpart D 
(Board).
    \18\ The eSLR rule also applied these standards to covered state 
nonmember banks.
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III. Proposed Revisions to the eSLR Standards

    Under the current eSLR rule, all GSIBs are required to maintain a 
supplementary leverage ratio greater than 3 percent plus a leverage 
buffer of 2 percent to avoid limitations on distributions and certain 
discretionary bonus payments. The proposal would replace each GSIB's 2 
percent leverage buffer with a leverage buffer set equal to 50 percent 
of the firm's GSIB surcharge, as determined according to the Board's 
GSIB surcharge rule.\19\
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    \19\ On April 10, 2018, the Board requested comment on a 
proposal to integrate the Board's capital rule with the supervisory 
post-stress capital assessment conducted as part of the Board's 
annual Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review. That proposal 
would amend the Board's capital plan rule, capital rule, and stress 
testing rules, and make further amendments to the stress testing 
policy statement that was proposed for public comment on December 
15, 2017. See 12 CFR 225.8; 12 CFR 252; 88 FR 59529 (December 15, 
2017). See https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/bcreg20180410a.htm
    See 12 CFR 217.403. Under the GSIB surcharge rule, a firm 
identified as a GSIB must calculate its GSIB surcharge under two 
methods and be subject to the higher surcharge. The first method 
(method 1) is based on five categories that are correlated with 
systemic importance--size, interconnectedness, cross-jurisdictional 
activity, substitutability, and complexity. The second method 
(method 2) uses similar inputs, but replaces substitutability with 
the use of short-term wholesale funding and is calibrated in a 
manner that generally will result in surcharge levels for GSIBs that 
are higher than those calculated under method 1.
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    Under the current rule, IDI subsidiaries of the largest and most 
complex banking organizations are required to maintain a 6 percent 
supplementary leverage ratio to be considered ``well capitalized'' 
under the PCA framework. As discussed above, the Board and the OCC 
believe that the leverage requirements should be calibrated such that 
they are generally the backstop to risk-based capital requirements. 
Consistent with that view and with the treatment of GSIBs, the proposal 
would replace the 6 percent supplementary leverage ratio threshold for 
a Board- or OCC-regulated IDI subsidiary subject to the eSLR standards 
(covered IDI) to be considered ``well capitalized'' under the PCA 
framework with a supplementary leverage ratio threshold of 3 percent 
plus 50 percent of the GSIB surcharge applicable to the covered IDI's 
GSIB holding company. Thus, for a covered IDI, the ``well capitalized'' 
threshold would depend on the GSIB surcharge applicable at the holding 
company. These modifications to the PCA framework would help to 
maintain the complementarity of the risk-based and leverage standards 
at the covered IDI in a manner consistent with the proposed changes to 
the leverage buffer at the GSIB holding company.
    The ``well capitalized'' threshold is used to determine eligibility 
for a variety of regulatory purposes, such as streamlined application 
procedures, status as a financial holding company, the ability to 
control or hold a financial interest in a financial subsidiary, and in 
interstate applications.\20\ The Board and the OCC recognize that tying 
a banking organization's eSLR standards to its systemic footprint, as 
measured under the Board's GSIB surcharge rule,\21\ may mean that the 
``well capitalized'' threshold could change from year-to-year depending 
on the activities of the particular organization. Consistent with the 
requirements for GSIBs, a covered IDI would have one full calendar year 
after the year in which its eSLR threshold increased to meet the new 
threshold.\22\ Nonetheless, in order to facilitate long-term capital 
and business planning, some institutions may prefer for the Board and 
the OCC to maintain a static ``well capitalized'' threshold.

[[Page 17321]]

Additionally, treating the eSLR standard as a buffer, which an IDI 
subsidiary may use during times of economic stress, may have less pro-
cyclical effects.
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    \20\ See, e.g., 12 U.S.C. 24a(a)(2)(C); 12 U.S.C. 
1831u(b)(4)(B); 12 U.S.C. 1842(d); 12 CFR 5.33(j), 5.34(e)(5)(ii), 
5.35(f), 5.39(g); 12 CFR 225.8(f)(2); 225.82; 225.4(b), 225.14, 
225.23; 211.24(c)(3).
    \21\ See 12 CFR part 217, subpart H.
    \22\ 12 CFR 217.403(d)(1).
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    Therefore, as an alternative to revising the eSLR threshold for a 
covered IDI to be considered ``well capitalized,'' the Board and the 
OCC are considering applying the eSLR standard as a capital buffer 
requirement. Under this approach, the PCA framework would retain the 3 
percent supplementary leverage ratio requirement to be considered 
``adequately capitalized,'' but there would no longer be a 
supplementary leverage ratio threshold for a covered IDI to be 
considered ``well capitalized.'' Instead, the eSLR standard would be 
applied to a covered IDI alongside the existing capital conservation 
buffer \23\ in the same manner that the eSLR standard applies to GSIBs. 
Thus, under this alternative approach, GSIBs and covered IDIs would be 
required to maintain a leverage buffer set to 50 percent of the GSIB 
surcharge applicable to the GSIB or the GSIB holding company of the 
covered IDI, as applicable, over the 3 percent supplementary leverage 
ratio minimum to avoid limitations on distributions and certain 
discretionary bonus payments. The Board and the OCC are requesting 
comment on whether it would be more appropriate to apply the eSLR 
standard to a covered IDI as a capital buffer requirement, rather than 
as part of the PCA threshold for ``well capitalized.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \23\ See 12 CFR 3.11 and 12 CFR 217.11.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The proposed recalibration of the eSLR standards for GSIBs and 
covered IDIs would continue to provide a meaningful constraint on 
leverage while ensuring a more appropriate complementary relationship 
between these firms' risk-based and leverage capital requirements. 
Specifically, the proposal would help ensure that the leverage capital 
requirements generally serve as a backstop to risk-based capital 
requirements. In addition, the proposed calibration would reinforce 
incentives created by the GSIB surcharge for GSIBs to reduce their 
systemic footprint by providing less systemic firms with a lower GSIB 
surcharge and a parallel lower ``well capitalized'' threshold in the 
PCA framework. Setting the leverage buffer in the eSLR rule to 50 
percent of the GSIB surcharge also would mirror the relationship 
between the minimum tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6 percent and 
the minimum supplementary leverage ratio of 3 percent.

IV. Impact Analysis

    Based on third quarter 2017 data, and assuming fully phased-in GSIB 
surcharges were in effect, one of the eight GSIBs would currently have 
its most binding capital requirement under the capital rule set by the 
proposed eSLR, compared with four of eight GSIBs that are bound by the 
eSLR under the current eSLR rule.\24\ Under the proposed eSLR 
standards, the amount of tier 1 capital required to avoid restrictions 
based on the capital buffers in the capital rule would decrease by 
approximately $9 billion across the eight GSIBs.\25\ Each of the GSIBs 
subject to the eSLR rule would have met the minimum supplementary 
leverage ratio of 3 percent plus a 2 percent leverage buffer had the 
eSLR rule been in effect third quarter 2017, and assuming fully phased-
in GSIB surcharges were applicable in that quarter, each of the eight 
GSIBs would have also met the minimum supplementary leverage ratio, 
plus a leverage buffer set to 50 percent of the GSIB surcharge, had the 
proposal been in effect. The GSIBs held in aggregate nearly $955 
billion in tier 1 capital as of third quarter 2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \24\ Analysis reflects data from the Consolidated Financial 
Statements for Holding Companies (FR Y-9C), the Consolidated Reports 
of Condition and Income for a Bank with Domestic and Foreign Offices 
(FFIEC 031), and the Regulatory Capital Reporting for Institutions 
Subject to the Advanced Capital Adequacy Framework (FFIEC 101), as 
reported by the GSIBs and the covered IDIs as of third quarter 2017.
    \25\ The $9 billion figure is approximately 1 percent of the 
amount of tier 1 capital held by the GSIBs as of third quarter 2017. 
The $9 billion figure represents the aggregate decrease in the 
amount of tier 1 capital required across the GSIBs under the 
proposed eSLR standards relative to the amount of capital required 
for such firms to exceed a 5 percent supplementary leverage ratio, 
as well as the minimum tier 1 risk-based capital ratio plus 
applicable capital conservation buffer requirement, which includes 
each firm's applicable GSIB surcharge.
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    The Board's capital plan rule also requires certain large bank 
holding companies, including the GSIBs, to hold capital in excess of 
the minimum capital ratios by requiring them to demonstrate the ability 
to satisfy the capital requirements under stressful conditions.\26\ 
Taking into account the capital buffer requirements in the capital rule 
together with estimates of the capital required under the capital plan 
rule, the proposal would reduce the amount of tier 1 capital required 
across the GSIBs by approximately $400 million.\27\
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    \26\ 12 CFR 225.8(e)(2).
    \27\ The $400 million figure is approximately 0.04 percent of 
the amount of tier 1 capital held by the GSIBs as of third quarter 
2017. The $400 million figure represents the aggregate decrease in 
the amount of tier 1 capital required across the GSIBs under the 
proposed eSLR standards relative to the amount of capital required 
for such firms to exceed a 5 percent supplementary leverage ratio, 
as well as the minimum tier 1 risk-based capital ratio plus 
applicable capital conservation buffer requirement, which includes 
each firm's applicable GSIB surcharge, and post-stress minimum tier 
1-based capital requirements (i.e., tier 1 risk-based capital ratio, 
leverage ratio, and supplementary leverage ratio).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Analysis therefore indicates that the proposed eSLR recalibration 
would reduce the capital required to be held by the GSIBs for purposes 
of meeting the eSLR standards, but the more firm-specific and risk-
sensitive approach to the eSLR buffer in the proposal would more 
appropriately align each GSIB's leverage buffer with its systemic 
footprint. Importantly, under the proposal, to the extent a firm's 
systemic footprint and GSIB surcharge increases, the amount of tier 1 
capital required to meet its applicable eSLR standard also would 
increase. Further, and notwithstanding the proposed recalibration, 
GSIBs remain subject to the most stringent regulatory standards, 
including in particular the risk-based GSIB surcharge and total loss-
absorbing capacity standards.
    For covered IDIs, the proposed rule would replace the current 6 
percent eSLR standard in the ``well capitalized'' threshold with a new 
standard equal to 3 percent plus 50 percent of the GSIB's surcharge. 
The current eSLR standard tends to be more binding than risk-based 
capital requirements at the IDI level than at the holding company level 
because the eSLR standard is calibrated higher and the agencies have 
not imposed a GSIB surcharge at the IDI level. Based on data as of 
third quarter 2017, the eSLR standard is the most binding tier 1 
capital requirement for all eight lead IDI subsidiaries of the GSIBs. 
Under the proposal, the eSLR standard would be the most binding tier 1 
capital requirement for three of these covered IDIs.\28\ The amount of 
tier 1 capital required under the proposed eSLR standard across the 
lead IDI subsidiaries would be approximately $121 billion less than 
what is required under the current eSLR standard to be considered well-
capitalized.\29\ The proposed eSLR

[[Page 17322]]

standards along with current risk-based capital standards and other 
constraints applicable at the holding company level would continue to 
limit the amount of capital that GSIBs could distribute to investors, 
thus supporting the safety and soundness of GSIBs and helping to 
maintain financial stability.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \28\ The Board and the OCC estimate that the proposed eSLR 
standard would be the most binding tier 1 capital requirement for a 
total of eight covered IDIs that reported their total leverage 
exposure on the FFIEC 031 report, five of which are non-lead IDI 
subsidiaries. 12 U.S.C. 1841(o)(8); 12 CFR 225.2(h).
    \29\ The $121 billion figure represents the aggregate decrease 
in the amount of tier 1 capital required across the lead IDI 
subsidiaries of the GSIBs to meet the proposed eSLR well-capitalized 
standard relative to the amount of capital required for such firms 
to meet the current 6 percent well-capitalized standard, as well as 
the tier 1 risk-based capital ratio plus applicable capital 
conservation buffer requirement. The amount of tier 1 capital 
required across all covered IDIs that reported their total leverage 
exposure on the FFIEC 031 report would decrease by approximately 
$122 billion under the proposal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Question 1: To what extent would the proposed eSLR standards 
appropriately balance the need for regulatory standards that enhance 
systemic stability with the long-term goal of credit availability, 
efficiency, and business growth? What alternatives, if any, should the 
Board and the OCC consider that would more appropriately strike this 
balance?
    Question 2: How would the proposed calibration of the eSLR 
standards affect business decisions of GSIBs and covered IDIs? How, if 
at all, would the proposal change the incentives for GSIBs and covered 
IDIs to participate in or increase costs for low-risk, low-return 
businesses? Alternatively, how would a reduction in tier 1 capital 
across the GSIBs resulting from the proposed calibration impact the 
overall resilience of the financial system?
    Question 3: What, if any, beneficial or negative consequences for 
market participants, consumers, and financial stability are likely to 
result from the proposed calibration? Please provide examples and data 
where feasible.
    Question 4: What, if any, alternative methods would be more 
appropriate to determine the level of firm-specific eSLR standards? For 
example, what other approaches using publicly reported data, such as 
the systemic risk data collected on the FR Y-15, would be appropriate? 
Please provide examples and data where feasible.
    Question 5: Should the Board and the OCC consider alternative 
approaches to address the relative bindingness of leverage requirements 
to risk-based capital requirements for certain firms? Specifically, 
what are the benefits and drawbacks of excluding central bank reserves 
from the denominator of the supplementary leverage ratio as an 
alternative to the proposal? In comparison to the proposal, how would 
such an exclusion affect the business decisions of firms supervised by 
the Board and the OCC?
    Question 6: Would it be more appropriate to apply the eSLR standard 
to a covered IDI as capital buffer requirement, rather than as part of 
the PCA ``well capitalized'' threshold?
    Question 7: The Board has issued for comment a separate proposal 
that, among other changes, would use the results of its annual 
supervisory stress test to size buffer requirements applicable to U.S. 
bank holding companies that are subject to the Board's capital plan 
rule. How would that proposal affect the responses to the questions 
above or other aspects of the proposed modifications to the eSLR 
standards?

V. Amendments to Total Loss-Absorbing Capacity Standards

    The Board's final rule regarding total loss-absorbing capacity, 
long-term debt, and clean holding company requirements for GSIBs and 
intermediate holding companies of systemically important foreign 
banking organizations \30\ (TLAC rule) applies a 2 percent 
supplementary-leverage-ratio-based TLAC buffer in addition to the 7.5 
percent leverage component of a GSIB's external TLAC requirement. The 
adoption of this buffer was designed to parallel the leverage buffer 
applicable to these firms under the eSLR rule and applies on top of the 
minimum TLAC leverage requirement.\31\ Accordingly, the Board is 
proposing to amend the TLAC rule to replace each GSIB's 2 percent TLAC 
leverage buffer with a buffer set to 50 percent of the firm's GSIB 
surcharge. This change would conform the TLAC leverage buffer with the 
proposed revised eSLR standard for GSIBs.
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    \30\ 12 CFR 252.60-.65, .153, .160-.167; 82 FR 8266 (January 24, 
2017).
    \31\ Under the TLAC rule, a GSIB's external TLAC leverage buffer 
requirement is equal to 2 percent of total leverage exposure, which 
is the same buffer set under the eSLR rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Board's TLAC rule also establishes a minimum leverage-based 
external long-term debt (LTD) requirement for a GSIB equal to the 
GSIB's total leverage exposure multiplied by 4.5 percent. As described 
in the preamble to the final TLAC rule, this component of the LTD 
requirement was calibrated by subtracting a 0.5 percent balance sheet 
depletion allowance from the amount required to satisfy the combined 
supplementary leverage ratio requirement and eSLR (i.e., 5 
percent).\32\ Accordingly, the Board is proposing to amend the minimum 
LTD standard to reflect the proposed change to the eSLR. The proposed 
amended leverage-based external LTD standard would be total leverage 
exposure multiplied by 2.5 percent (i.e., 3 percent minus 0.5 percent 
to allow for balance sheet depletion) plus 50 percent of the GSIB's 
applicable GSIB surcharge.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \32\ 82 FR 8266, 8275 (January 24, 2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, the Board is proposing to make certain minor 
amendments to the TLAC rule, including amendments to ensure that LTD is 
calculated the same way for all TLAC requirements. Specifically, the 
proposal provides that the external TLAC risk-weighted buffer level, 
TLAC leverage buffer level, and the TLAC buffer level for U.S. 
intermediate holding companies of foreign GSIBs (covered IHCs) would be 
amended to use the same haircuts applicable to LTD that are currently 
used to calculate outstanding minimum required TLAC amounts, which do 
not include a 50 percent haircut on LTD instruments with a remaining 
maturity of between one and two years. These minor amendments also 
include changes such that the term ``External TLAC risk-weighted 
buffer'' is used consistently in the TLAC rule, to provide that a new 
covered IHC will in all cases have three years to conform to most of 
the requirements of the TLAC rule, and to align the articulation of the 
methodology for calculating the covered IHC LTD amount with the same 
methodology used for GSIBs.
    Question 8: What, if any, concerns would the proposed modification 
of the external TLAC leverage buffer requirement (that is, replacing 
the fixed 2 percent external TLAC leverage buffer with an external TLAC 
leverage buffer set to 50 percent of a firm's GSIB surcharge) pose? 
What if any alternative approach should the Board consider and why?
    Question 9: The Board is considering, for purposes of any final 
rule, whether it also should modify the requirement at 12 CFR 
252.63(a)(2) that a GSIB maintain an external loss-absorbing capacity 
amount that is no less than 7.5 percent of the GSIB's total leverage 
exposure (7.5 percent requirement). What, if any, modifications to the 
7.5 percent requirement would be appropriate to address the changes 
proposed above, such as the proposed changes to the eSLR requirement 
and the related changes to the TLAC requirement, or to address other 
changes in circumstances since the TLAC rule was finalized, such as new 
foreign or international standards related to total loss absorbing 
capacity or capital? What, if any, modifications to the 7.5 percent 
requirement would be appropriate for other reasons, including 
modifications to match or better align with the TLAC rule's 
supplementary leverage ratio requirements for covered IHCs (i.e., a 
TLAC amount no less than 6 to 6.75 percent of the covered IHC's total

[[Page 17323]]

leverage exposure) \33\ or with similar foreign or international 
standards or expectations? Should any such modification revise the 7.5 
percent requirement to be dynamic, such as a requirement linked to a 
GSIB's risk-based capital surcharge and, if so, should that revised 
requirement be based on the same percentage as the proposed calibration 
of the eSLR standard and minimum LTD standard (i.e., 50 percent of the 
GSIB's risk-based capital surcharge) or a higher (e.g., 100 percent) or 
lower percentage (e.g., 25 percent)?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \33\ 12 CFR 252.165(a)(2), (b)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In responding to this question, commenters are invited to describe 
the rationale for any suggested modifications to the 7.5 percent 
requirement and how such rationale relates to the Board's overall 
rationale for the proposal, the rationale for the capital refill 
framework described in the preamble to the final TLAC rule,\34\ or 
other rationales for establishing or calibrating TLAC requirements. For 
example, a response could explain what, if any, modifications to the 
requirement should be made based on the proposed modifications to the 
eSLR standard, the minimum LTD standard, and the capital refill 
framework (such as revising the 7.5 percent requirement to require TLAC 
in an amount no less than 5.5 percent, plus 50 percent of the firm's 
GSIB risk-based capital surcharge, of the GSIB's total leverage 
exposure).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \34\ 82 FR 8266 (January 24, 2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

V. Additional Requests for Comment

    The Board and the OCC seek comment on all aspects of the proposed 
modifications to the eSLR standards for GSIBs and covered IDIs, as well 
as on amendments made to the calculation of the external TLAC leverage 
buffer, and other minor changes to the TLAC rule. Comments are 
requested about the potential advantages of the proposal in ensuring 
the individual safety and soundness of these banking organizations as 
well as on the stability of the financial system. Comments are also 
requested about the calibration and capital impact of the proposal, 
including whether the proposal appropriately maintains a complementary 
relationship between the risk-based and leverage capital requirements, 
and the nature and extent of costs and benefits to the affected 
institutions or the broader economy.

VII. Regulatory Analyses

A. Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521) (PRA), the Board and the OCC may not 
conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, an 
information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The Board and the OCC 
reviewed the proposed rule and determined that it does not create any 
new or revise any existing collection of information under section 
3504(h) of title 44.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis

    OCC: The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., (RFA), 
requires an agency, in connection with a proposed rule, to prepare an 
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis describing the impact of the 
rule on small entities (defined by the Small Business Administration 
(SBA) for purposes of the RFA to include commercial banks and savings 
institutions with total assets of $550 million or less and trust 
companies with total assets of $38.5 million of less) or to certify 
that the proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on 
a substantial number of small entities.
    The OCC currently supervises 956 small entities.\35\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \35\ The OCC calculated the number of small entities using the 
SBA's size thresholds for commercial banks and savings institutions, 
and trust companies, which are $550 million and $38.5 million, 
respectively. Consistent with the General Principles of Affiliation, 
13 CFR 121.103(a), the OCC counted the assets of affiliated 
financial institutions when determining whether to classify a 
national bank or federal savings association as a small entity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of the 
preamble, the proposed rule would revise the eSLR rule, which applies 
to GSIBs and their IDI subsidiaries. Because the proposed rule would 
apply only to GSIBs and their IDI subsidiaries, it would not impact any 
OCC-supervised small entities. Therefore, the OCC certifies that the 
proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of OCC-supervised small entities
    Board: The RFA, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., requires an agency to 
consider whether the rules it proposes will have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities.\36\ In connection 
with a proposed rule, the RFA requires an agency to prepare an Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis describing the impact of the rule on 
small entities or to certify that the proposed rule would not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
An Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis must contain (1) a 
description of the reasons why action by the agency is being 
considered; (2) a succinct statement of the objectives of, and legal 
basis for, the proposed rule; (3) a description of, and, where 
feasible, an estimate of the number of small entities to which the 
proposed rule will apply; (4) a description of the projected reporting, 
recordkeeping, and other compliance requirements of the proposed rule, 
including an estimate of the classes of small entities that will be 
subject to the requirement and the type of professional skills 
necessary for preparation of the report or record; and (5) an 
identification, to the extent practicable, of all relevant Federal 
rules which may duplicate, overlap with, or conflict with the proposed 
rule.
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    \36\ Under regulations issued by the Small Business 
Administration, a small entity includes a depository institution, 
bank holding company, or savings and loan holding company with total 
assets of $550 million or less and trust companies with total assets 
of $38.5 million or less. As of June 30, 2017, there were 
approximately 3,451 small bank holding companies, 224 small savings 
and loan holding companies, and 566 small state member banks.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Board has considered the potential impact of the proposed rule 
on small entities in accordance with the RFA. Based on its analysis and 
for the reasons stated below, the Board believes that this proposed 
rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities. Nevertheless, the Board is publishing and 
inviting comment on this initial regulatory flexibility analysis. A 
final regulatory flexibility analysis will be conducted after comments 
received during the public comment period have been considered.
    As discussed in detail above, the Board and the OCC are proposing 
to recalibrate the eSLR requirements to provide improved incentives and 
to better ensure that the eSLR serves as a backstop to risk-based 
capital requirements rather than the binding constraint. Consistent 
with these objectives, the proposal would make corresponding changes 
the Board's TLAC requirements, along with other technical and minor 
changes to the Board's TLAC rule.
    The Board has broad authority under the International Lending 
Supervision Act (ILSA) \37\ and the PCA provisions of the Federal 
Deposit Insurance Act \38\ to establish regulatory capital requirements 
for the institutions it regulates. For example, ILSA directs each 
Federal banking agency to cause banking institutions to achieve and 
maintain adequate capital by establishing minimum capital

[[Page 17324]]

requirements as well as by other means that the agency deems 
appropriate.\39\ The PCA provisions of the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Act direct each Federal banking agency to specify, for each relevant 
capital measure, the level at which an IDI subsidiary is well 
capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, and 
significantly undercapitalized.\40\ In addition, the Board has broad 
authority to establish regulatory capital standards for bank holding 
companies under the Bank Holding Company Act and the Dodd-Frank Reform 
and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act).\41\ Section 165 of the 
Dodd-Frank Act provides the legal authority for the Board's proposed 
revisions to the TLAC rule.\42\
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    \37\ 12 U.S.C. 3901-3911.
    \38\ 12 U.S.C. 1831o.
    \39\ 12 U.S.C. 3907(a)(1).
    \40\ 12 U.S.C. 1831o(c)(2).
    \41\ See, e.g., sections 165 and 171 of the Dodd-Frank Act (12 
U.S.C. 5365 and 12 U.S.C. 5371). Public Law 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 
(2010).
    \42\ 12 U.S.C. 5365.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The proposed changes to the eSLR rule would apply only to entities 
that are GSIBs, as identified by the GSIB surcharge rule, and any IDI 
subsidiary of a GSIB that is regulated by the Board. Currently, no 
small top-tier bank holding company would meet the threshold criteria 
for application of the eSLR standards provided in this proposal. 
Accordingly, the proposed changes to the eSLR rule would not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
However, one bank holding company covered under the proposal has a 
state member bank subsidiary with assets of $550 million or less. The 
Board does not expect, however, that this entity would bear any 
additional costs as it would rely on its parent banking organization 
for compliance.
    Under the proposal, the TLAC rule would continue to apply only to a 
top-tier bank holding company domiciled in the United States with $50 
billion or more in total consolidated assets and that has been 
identified as a GSIB, and to covered IHCs. Bank holding companies and 
covered IHCs that are subject to the proposed rule therefore 
substantially exceed the $550 million asset threshold at which a 
banking entity would qualify as a small banking organization. 
Accordingly, the proposed changes to the TLAC rule would not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
    The proposed changes to the eSLR rule and TLAC rule would not alter 
existing reporting, recordkeeping, and other compliance requirements. 
In addition, the Board is aware of no other Federal rules that 
duplicate, overlap, or conflict with the proposed changes to the eSLR 
rule and the TLAC rule. The Board believes that the proposed changes to 
the eSLR rule and TLAC rule will not have a significant economic impact 
on small banking organizations supervised by the Board and therefore 
believes that there are no significant alternatives to the proposed 
rule that would reduce the economic impact on small banking 
organizations supervised by the Board.
    The Board welcomes comment on all aspects of its analysis. In 
particular, the Board requests that commenters describe the nature of 
any impact on small entities and provide empirical data to illustrate 
and support the extent of the impact.

C. Plain Language

    Section 722 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires the Federal 
banking agencies to use plain language in all proposed and final rules 
published after January 1, 2000. The Board and the OCC have sought to 
present the proposed rule in a simple and straightforward manner, and 
invite comment on the use of plain language. For example:
     Have the Board and the OCC organized the material to suit 
your needs? If not, how could they present the rule more clearly?
     Are the requirements in the rule clearly stated? If not, 
how could the rule be more clearly stated?
     Do the regulations contain technical language or jargon 
that is not clear? If so, which language requires clarification?
     Would a different format (grouping and order of sections, 
use of headings, paragraphing) make the regulation easier to 
understand? If so, what changes would achieve that?
     Is this section format adequate? If not, which of the 
sections should be changed and how?
     What other changes can the Board and the OCC incorporate 
to make the regulation easier to understand?

D. Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994

    The Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 
1994 (RCDRIA) requires that each Federal banking agency, in determining 
the effective date and administrative compliance requirements for new 
regulations that impose additional reporting, disclosure, or other 
requirements on IDIs, consider, consistent with principles of safety 
and soundness and the public interest, any administrative burdens that 
such regulations would place on depository institutions, including 
small depository institutions, and customers of depository 
institutions, as well as the benefits of such regulations. In addition, 
new regulations and amendments to regulations that impose additional 
reporting, disclosures, or other new requirements on IDIs generally 
must take effect on the first day of a calendar quarter that begins on 
or after the date on which the regulations are published in final 
form.\43\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ 12 U.S.C. 4802.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Because the proposal would not impose additional reporting, 
disclosure, or other requirements on IDIs, section 302 of the RCDRIA 
therefore does not apply. Nevertheless, the requirements of RCDRIA will 
be considered as part of the overall rulemaking process. In addition, 
the Board and the OCC also invite any other comments that further will 
inform the Board's and the OCC's consideration of RCDRIA.

E. OCC Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 Determination

    The OCC analyzed the proposed rule under the factors set forth in 
the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1532). Under this 
analysis, the OCC considered whether the proposal includes a Federal 
mandate that may result in the expenditure by state, local, and Tribal 
governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any one year (adjusted for inflation). The OCC has 
determined that this proposed rule would not result in expenditures by 
state, local, and Tribal governments, or the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any one year.\44\ Accordingly, the OCC has not 
prepared a written statement to accompany this proposal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \44\ The OCC estimates that under the proposed rule, the minimum 
amount of required Tier 1 capital would decrease by $109 billion for 
covered OCC-supervised institutions. The OCC estimates that this 
decrease in required capital--which could allow these banking 
organizations to increase their leverage and thus increase their tax 
deductions for interest paid on debt--would have a total aggregate 
value of approximately $1.7 billion per year across all directly 
impacted OCC-supervised entities. The OCC recognizes, however, that 
affected institutions have several options regarding how they might 
adjust to changes in minimum required Tier 1 capital levels, only 
one of which is to reduce their Tier 1 capital levels.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

List of Subjects

12 CFR Part 6

    Federal Reserve System, Federal savings associations, National 
banks.

12 CFR Part 208

    Accounting, Agriculture, Banks, banking, Confidential business 
information, Consumer protection, Crime, Currency, Global systemically

[[Page 17325]]

important bank, Insurance, Investments, Mortgages, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Securities.

12 CFR Part 217

    Administrative practice and procedure, Banks, banking. Holding 
companies, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Securities.

12 CFR Part 252

    Administrative practice and procedure, Banks, banking, Federal 
Reserve System, Holding companies, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Securities.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

    For the reasons set out in the joint preamble, the OCC proposes to 
amend 12 CFR part 6 as follows:

PART 6--PROMPT CORRECTIVE ACTION

0
1. The authority citation for part 6 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 93a, 1831o, 5412(b)(2)(B).

0
2. Section 6.4 is amended by revising paragraph (c)(1)(iv) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  6.4   Capital measures and capital category definitions.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (iv) Leverage Measure:
    (A) The national bank or Federal savings association has a leverage 
ratio of 5.0 percent or greater; and
    (B) With respect to a national bank or Federal savings association 
that is controlled by a bank holding company designated as a global 
systemically important bank holding company pursuant to subpart H of 
Regulation Q (12 CFR part 217, subpart H), the national bank or Federal 
savings association has a supplementary leverage ratio greater than or 
equal to:
    (1) 3.0 percent; plus
    (2) 50 percent of the GSIB surcharge calculated in accordance with 
subpart H of Regulation Q (12 CFR part 217, subpart H) applicable to 
the global systemically important bank holding company that controls 
the national bank or Federal savings association; and
* * * * *

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

12 CFR CHAPTER II

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, The Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System proposes to amend chapter II of title 12 
of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:

PART 208--MEMBERSHIP OF STATE BANKING INSTITUTIONS IN THE FEDERAL 
RESERVE SYSTEM (REGULATION H)

0
 3. The authority citation for part 208 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  12 U.S.C. 24, 36, 92a, 93a, 248(a), 248(c), 321-
338a, 371d, 461, 481-486, 601, 611, 1814, 1816, 1818, 1820(d)(9), 
1833(j), 1828(o), 1831, 1831o, 1831p-1, 1831r-1, 1831w, 1831x, 
1835a, 1882, 2901-2907, 3105, 3310, 3331-3351, 3905-3909, and 5371; 
15 U.S.C. 78b, 78I(b), 78l(i), 780-4(c)(5), 78q, 78q-1, and 78w, 
1681s, 1681w, 6801, and 6805; 31 U.S.C. 5318; 42 U.S.C. 4012a, 
4104a, 4104b, 4106 and 4128.

0
4. Section 208.43, paragraph (b)(1)(iv) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  208.43   Capital measures and capital category definitions.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (iv) Leverage Measure:
    (A) The bank has a leverage ratio of 5.0 percent or greater; and
    (B) With respect to any bank that is a subsidiary of a global 
systemically important BHC under the definition of ``subsidiary'' in 
section 217.2 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2), the bank has a 
supplementary leverage ratio greater than or equal to:
    (1) 3.0 percent; plus
    (2) 50 percent of the GSIB surcharge calculated in accordance with 
subpart H of Regulation Q (12 CFR part 217, subpart H) applicable to 
the global systemically important BHC that controls the bank; and
* * * * *

PART 217--CAPITAL ADEQUACY OF BANK HOLDING COMPANIES, SAVINGS AND 
LOAN HOLDING COMPANIES, AND STATE MEMBER BANKS (REGULATION Q)

0
 5. The authority citation for part 217 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  12 U.S.C. 248(a), 321-338a, 481-486, 1462a, 1467a, 
1818, 1828, 1831n, 1831o, 1831p-l, 1831w, 1835, 1844(b), 1851, 3904, 
3906-3909, 4808, 5365, 5368, 5371.

0
 6. Section 217.11, paragraphs (a)(4)(ii) and (a)(4)(iii)(B) and Table 
2 to Sec.  217.11 are revised to read as follows:


Sec.  217.11   Capital conservation buffer, countercyclical capital 
buffer amount, and GSIB surcharge.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (4) * * *
    (ii) A Board-regulated institution with a capital conservation 
buffer that is greater than 2.5 percent plus 100 percent of its 
applicable countercyclical capital buffer in accordance with paragraph 
(b) of this section, and 100 percent of its applicable GSIB surcharge, 
in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, and, if applicable, 
that has a leverage buffer that is greater than 50 percent of its 
applicable GSIB surcharge, is not subject to a maximum payout amount 
under this section.
    (iii) * * *
    (B) Capital conservation buffer was less than 2.5 percent, or, if 
applicable, leverage buffer was less than 50 percent of its applicable 
GSIB surcharge, as of the end of the previous calendar quarter.
* * * * *

                     Table 2 to Sec.   217.11: Calculation of Maximum Leverage Payout Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Maximum leverage payout ratio (as a
                              Leverage buffer                                  percentage of eligible retained
                                                                                      income) (percent)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greater than 50 percent of the Board-regulated institution's applicable      No payout ratio limitation applies.
 GSIB surcharge.
Less than or equal to 50 percent of the Board-regulated institution's        60.
 applicable GSIB surcharge, and greater than 37.5 percent of the Board-
 regulated institution's applicable GSIB surcharge.
Less than or equal to 37.5 percent of the Board-regulated institution's      40.
 applicable GSIB surcharge, and greater than 25 percent of the Board-
 regulated institution's applicable GSIB surcharge.
Less than or equal to 25 percent of the Board-regulated institution's        20.
 applicable GSIB surcharge, and greater than 12.5 percent of the Board-
 regulated institution's applicable GSIB surcharge.
Less than or equal to 12.5 percent of the Board-regulated institution's      0.
 applicable GSIB surcharge.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 17326]]

* * * * *

PART 252--ENHANCED PRUDENTIAL STANDARDS (REGULATION YY)

0
 7. The authority citation for part 252 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 321-338a, 481-486, 1467a, 1818, 1828, 
1831n, 1831o, 1831p-l, 1831w, 1835, 1844(b), 1844(c), 3101 et seq., 
3101 note, 3904, 3906-3909, 4808, 5361, 5362, 5365, 5366, 5367, 
5368, 5371.

0
 8. In Sec.  252.61:
0
a. Remove the definition ``External TLAC buffer'';
0
b. Add the definition ``External TLAC risk-weighted buffer'' in 
alphabetical order to read as follows:


Sec.  252.61   Definitions.

* * * * *
    External TLAC risk-weighted buffer means, with respect to a global 
systemically important BHC, the sum of 2.5 percent, any applicable 
countercyclical capital buffer under 12 CFR 217.11(b) (expressed as a 
percentage), and the global systemically important BHC's method 1 
capital surcharge.
* * * * *
0
9. In Sec.  252.62, revise paragraph (a)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  252.62   External long-term debt requirement.

    (a) * * *
    (2) The global systemically important BHC's total leverage exposure 
multiplied by the sum of 2.5 percent plus 50 percent of the global 
systemically important BHC's applicable GSIB surcharge (expressed as a 
percentage).
* * * * *
0
10. In Sec.  252.63, revise paragraphs (c)(3)(i)(C), (c)(4)(ii), 
(c)(4)(iii)(B), and (c)(5)(iii)(A)(2), and Table 2 to Sec.  252.63 to 
read as follows:


Sec.  252.63   External total loss-absorbing capacity requirement and 
buffer.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (C) The ratio (expressed as a percentage) of the global 
systemically important BHC's outstanding eligible external long-term 
debt amount plus 50 percent of the amount of unpaid principal of 
outstanding eligible debt securities issued by the global systemically 
important BHC due to be paid in, as calculated in Sec.  252.62(b)(2), 
greater than or equal to 365 days (one year) but less than 730 days 
(two years) to total risk-weighted assets.
* * * * *
    (4) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (ii) A global systemically important BHC with an external TLAC 
risk-weighted buffer level that is greater than the external TLAC risk-
weighted buffer and an external TLAC leverage buffer level that is 
greater than 50 percent of the global systemically important BHC's 
applicable GSIB surcharge, in accordance with paragraph (c)(5) of this 
section, is not subject to a maximum external TLAC risk-weighted payout 
amount or a maximum external TLAC leverage payout amount.
    (iii) * * *
    (B) External TLAC risk-weighted buffer level was less than the 
external TLAC risk-weighted buffer as of the end of the previous 
calendar quarter or external TLAC leverage buffer level was less than 
50 percent of the global systemically important BHC's applicable GSIB 
surcharge as of the end of the previous calendar quarter.
* * * * *
    (5) * * *
    (iii) * * *
    (A) * * *
    (2) The ratio (expressed as a percentage) of the global 
systemically important BHC's outstanding eligible external long-term 
debt amount plus 50 percent of the amount of unpaid principal of 
outstanding eligible debt securities issued by the global systemically 
important BHC due to be paid in in, as calculated in Sec.  
252.62(b)(2), greater than or equal to 365 days (one year) but less 
than 730 days (two years) to total leverage exposure.
* * * * *

              Table 2 to Sec.   252.63--Calculation of Maximum External TLAC Leverage Payout Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Maximum external TLAC leverage
                    External TLAC leverage buffer level                        payout ratio (as a percentage of
                                                                             eligible retained income) (percent)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greater than 50 percent of the global systemically important BHC's           No payout ratio limitation applies.
 applicable GSIB surcharge.
Less than or equal to 50 percent of the global systemically important BHC's  60.
 applicable GSIB surcharge, and greater than 37.5 percent of the global
 systemically important BHC's applicable GSIB surcharge.
Less than or equal to 37.5 percent of the global systemically important      40.
 BHC's applicable GSIB surcharge, and greater than 25 percent of the global
 systemically important BHC's applicable GSIB surcharge.
Less than or equal to 25 percent of the global systemically important BHC's  20.
 applicable GSIB surcharge, and greater than 12.5 percent of the global
 systemically important BHC's applicable GSIB surcharge.
Less than or equal to 12.5 percent of global systemically important BHC's    0.
 applicable GSIB surcharge.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

0
11. In Sec.  252.160, revise paragraph (b)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  252.160   Applicability.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) 1095 days (three years) after the later of the date on which:
    (i) The U.S. non-branch assets of the global systemically important 
foreign banking organization that controls the Covered IHC equaled or 
exceeded $50 billion; and
    (ii) The foreign banking organization that controls the Covered IHC 
became a global systemically important foreign banking organization
* * * * *
0
12. In Sec.  252.162, revise paragraph (b)(1) to read as follows:


Sec.  252.162   Covered IHC long-term debt requirement.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) A Covered IHC's outstanding eligible Covered IHC long-term debt 
amount is the sum of:
    (i) One hundred (100) percent of the amount due to be paid of 
unpaid principal of the outstanding eligible Covered IHC debt 
securities issued by the Covered IHC in greater than or equal to 730 
days (two years); and
    (ii) Fifty (50) percent of the amount due to be paid of unpaid 
principal of the outstanding eligible Covered IHC debt securities 
issued by the Covered IHC in greater than or equal to 365 days (one

[[Page 17327]]

year) and less than 730 days (two years); and
    (iii) Zero (0) percent of the amount due to be paid of unpaid 
principal of the outstanding eligible Covered IHC debt securities 
issued by the Covered IHC in less than 365 days (one year).
* * * * *
0
13. In Sec.  252.165, revise paragraph (d)(3)(i)(C) to read as follows:


Sec.  252.165   Covered IHC total loss-absorbing capacity requirement 
and buffer.

* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (C) The ratio (expressed as a percentage) of the Covered IHC's 
outstanding eligible Covered IHC long-term debt amount plus 50 percent 
of the amount of unpaid principal of outstanding eligible Covered IHC 
debt securities issued by the Covered IHC due to be paid in, as 
calculated in Sec.  252.162(b)(2), greater than or equal to 365 days 
(one year) but less than 730 days (two years) to total risk-weighted 
assets.
* * * * *

    Dated: April 2, 2018.
Joseph M. Otting,
Comptroller of the Currency.
    By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, April 11, 2018.
Ann E. Misback,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2018-08066 Filed 4-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6210-01-P 4810-33-P



                                                                                                                                                                                                 17317

                                                 Proposed Rules                                                                                                 Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                                Vol. 83, No. 76

                                                                                                                                                                Thursday, April 19, 2018



                                                 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                    of at least 3 percent plus 50 percent of                  • Email: regs.comments@
                                                 contains notices to the public of the proposed          the GSIB risk-based surcharge                          occ.treas.gov.
                                                 issuance of rules and regulations. The                  applicable to its top-tier holding                        • Mail: Legislative and Regulatory
                                                 purpose of these notices is to give interested          company in order to be deemed ‘‘well                   Activities Division, Office of the
                                                 persons an opportunity to participate in the            capitalized’’ under the Board’s and the                Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th
                                                 rule making prior to the adoption of the final
                                                 rules.
                                                                                                         OCC’s prompt corrective action rules.                  Street SW, suite 3E–218, Washington,
                                                                                                         Consistent with this approach to                       DC 20219.
                                                                                                         establishing enhanced supplementary                       • Hand Delivery/Courier: 400 7th
                                                 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY                              leverage ratio standards for insured                   Street SW, suite 3E–218, Washington,
                                                                                                         depository institutions, the OCC is                    DC 20219.
                                                 Office of the Comptroller of the                        proposing to revise the methodology it                    • Fax: (571) 465–4326.
                                                 Currency                                                uses to identify which national banks                     Instructions: You must include
                                                                                                         and Federal savings associations are                   ‘‘OCC’’ as the agency name and ‘‘Docket
                                                 12 CFR Part 6                                           subject to the enhanced supplementary                  ID OCC–2018–0002’’ in your comment.
                                                                                                         leverage ratio standards to ensure that                In general, the OCC will enter all
                                                 [Docket ID OCC–2018–0002]
                                                                                                         they apply only to those national banks                comments received into the docket and
                                                 RIN 1557–AE35                                           and Federal savings associations that are              publish them on the Regulations.gov
                                                                                                         subsidiaries of a Board-identified GSIB.               website without change, including any
                                                 FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM                                  The Board also is seeking comment on                   business or personal information that
                                                                                                         a proposal to make conforming                          you provide such as name and address
                                                 12 CFR Parts 208, 217, and 252                          modifications to the GSIB leverage                     information, email addresses, or phone
                                                 [Docket No. R–1604]                                     buffer of the Board’s total loss-absorbing             numbers. Comments received, including
                                                                                                         capacity and long-term debt                            attachments and other supporting
                                                 RIN 7100 AF–03                                          requirements and other minor                           materials, are part of the public record
                                                                                                         amendments to the buffer levels,                       and subject to public disclosure. Do not
                                                 Regulatory Capital Rules: Regulatory
                                                                                                         covered intermediate holding company                   include any information in your
                                                 Capital, Enhanced Supplementary
                                                                                                         conformance period, methodology for                    comment or supporting materials that
                                                 Leverage Ratio Standards for U.S.
                                                                                                         calculating the covered intermediate                   you consider confidential or
                                                 Global Systemically Important Bank
                                                                                                         holding company long-term debt                         inappropriate for public disclosure.
                                                 Holding Companies and Certain of
                                                                                                         amount, and external total loss-                          You may review comments and other
                                                 Their Subsidiary Insured Depository
                                                                                                         absorbing capacity risk-weighted buffer.               related materials that pertain to this
                                                 Institutions; Total Loss-Absorbing
                                                                                                         DATES: Comments must be received by                    rulemaking action by any of the
                                                 Capacity Requirements for U.S. Global
                                                                                                         May 21, 2018.                                          following methods:
                                                 Systemically Important Bank Holding
                                                                                                                                                                   • Viewing Comments Electronically:
                                                 Companies                                               ADDRESSES: Comments should be                          Go to www.regulations.gov. Enter
                                                 AGENCY:  Office of the Comptroller of the               directed to:                                           ‘‘Docket ID OCC–2018–0002’’ in the
                                                 Currency, Treasury, and the Board of                       OCC: Because paper mail in the                      Search box and click ‘‘Search.’’ Click on
                                                 Governors of the Federal Reserve                        Washington, DC area and at the OCC is                  ‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ on the right side
                                                 System.                                                 subject to delay, commenters are                       of the screen and then ‘‘Comments.’’
                                                                                                         encouraged to submit comments                          Comments can be filtered by clicking on
                                                 ACTION: Joint notice of proposed
                                                                                                         through the Federal eRulemaking Portal                 ‘‘View All’’ and then using the filtering
                                                 rulemaking.
                                                                                                         or email, if possible. Please use the title            tools on the left side of the screen.
                                                 SUMMARY:   The Board of Governors of the                ‘‘Regulatory Capital Rules: Regulatory                    • Click on the ‘‘Help’’ tab on the
                                                 Federal Reserve System (Board) and the                  Capital, Enhanced Supplementary                        Regulations.gov home page to get
                                                 Office of the Comptroller of the                        Leverage Ratio Standards for U.S. Global               information on using Regulations.gov.
                                                 Currency (OCC) are seeking comment on                   Systemically Important Bank Holding                    Supporting materials may be viewed by
                                                 a proposal that would modify the                        Companies and their Subsidiary Insured                 clicking on ‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ and
                                                 enhanced supplementary leverage ratio                   Depository Institutions’’ to facilitate the            then clicking on ‘‘Supporting
                                                 standards for U.S. top-tier bank holding                organization and distribution of the                   Documents.’’ The docket may be viewed
                                                 companies identified as global                          comments. You may submit comments                      after the close of the comment period in
                                                 systemically important bank holding                     by any of the following methods:                       the same manner as during the comment
                                                 companies, or GSIBs, and certain of                        • Federal eRulemaking Portal—                       period.
                                                 their insured depository institution                    ‘‘Regulations.gov’’: Go to                                • Viewing Comments Personally: You
                                                 subsidiaries. Specifically, the proposal                www.regulations.gov. Enter ‘‘Docket ID                 may personally inspect and photocopy
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS




                                                 would modify the current 2 percent                      OCC–2018–0002’’ in the Search Box and                  comments at the OCC, 400 7th Street
                                                 leverage buffer, which applies to each                  click ‘‘Search.’’ Click on ‘‘Comment                   SW, Washington, DC 20219. For
                                                 GSIB, to equal 50 percent of the firm’s                 Now’’ to submit public comments.                       security reasons, the OCC requires that
                                                 GSIB risk-based capital surcharge. The                     • Click on the ‘‘Help’’ tab on the                  visitors make an appointment to inspect
                                                 proposal also would require a Board- or                 Regulations.gov home page to get                       comments. You may do so by calling
                                                 OCC-regulated insured depository                        information on using Regulations.gov,                  (202) 649–6700 or, for persons who are
                                                 institution subsidiary of a GSIB to                     including instructions for submitting                  deaf hearing impaired, TTY, (202) 649–
                                                 maintain a supplementary leverage ratio                 public comments.                                       5597. Upon arrival, visitors will be


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                                                 17318                   Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules

                                                 required to present valid government-                   SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                               many off-balance sheet exposures in
                                                 issued photo identification and submit                                                                           addition to on-balance sheet assets.
                                                                                                         I. Background                                               In 2014, the agencies adopted a final
                                                 to security screening in order to inspect
                                                 and photocopy comments.                                 A. Post-Crisis Reforms                                   rule that established enhanced
                                                    Board: You may submit comments,                                                                               supplementary leverage ratio (eSLR)
                                                                                                            In 2013, the Board of Governors of the
                                                 identified by Docket No. R–1604 and                                                                              standards for the largest, most
                                                                                                         Federal Reserve System (Board), the
                                                 RIN 7100 AF–03, by any of the                                                                                    interconnected U.S. bank holding
                                                                                                         Office of the Comptroller of the
                                                 following methods:                                                                                               companies (eSLR rule) in order to
                                                    • Agency website: http://                            Currency (OCC), and the Federal                          strengthen the overall regulatory capital
                                                 www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the                      Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)                     framework in the United States.5 The
                                                 instructions for submitting comments at                 (together, the agencies) adopted a                       eSLR rule, as adopted in 2014, applied
                                                 http://www.federalreserve.gov/                          revised regulatory capital rule (capital                 to U.S. top-tier bank holding companies
                                                 generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm.                      rule) to address weaknesses that became                  with consolidated assets over $700
                                                    • Email: regs.comments@                              apparent during the financial crisis of                  billion or more than $10 trillion in
                                                 federalreserve.gov. Include docket                      2007–08.1 The capital rule strengthened                  assets under custody, and insured
                                                 number and RIN in the subject line of                   the capital requirements applicable to                   depository institution (IDI) subsidiaries
                                                 the message.                                            banking organizations 2 supervised by                    of holding companies that meet those
                                                    • Fax: (202) 452–3819 or (202) 452–                  the agencies by improving both the                       thresholds.
                                                 3102.                                                   quality and quantity of regulatory                          The eSLR rule requires the largest,
                                                    • Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary,                   capital and increasing the risk-                         most interconnected U.S. top-tier bank
                                                 Board of Governors of the Federal                       sensitivity of the agencies’ capital                     holding companies to maintain a
                                                 Reserve System, 20th Street and                         requirements.3 The capital rule requires                 supplementary leverage ratio greater
                                                 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,                     banking organizations to maintain a                      than 3 percent plus a leverage buffer of
                                                 DC 20551. All public comments are                       minimum leverage ratio of 4 percent,                     2 percent to avoid limitations on the
                                                 available from the Board’s website at                   measured as the ratio of a banking                       firm’s distributions and certain
                                                 http://www.federalreserve.gov/                          organization’s tier 1 capital to its                     discretionary bonus payments.6 The
                                                 generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as                    average total consolidated assets. For a                 eSLR rule also provides that any IDI
                                                 submitted, unless modified for technical                banking organization that meets the                      subsidiary of those bank holding
                                                 reasons or to remove sensitive PII at the               capital rule’s criteria for being                        companies must maintain a 6 percent
                                                 commenter’s request. Public comments                    considered an advanced approaches                        supplementary leverage ratio to be
                                                 may also be viewed electronically or in                 banking organization, the agencies also                  deemed ‘‘well capitalized’’ under the
                                                 paper form in Room 3515, 1801 K Street                  established a minimum supplementary                      prompt corrective action (PCA)
                                                 NW (between 18th and 19th Streets                       leverage ratio of 3 percent, measured as                 framework of each agency (collectively,
                                                 NW), Washington, DC 20006 between 9                     the ratio of a firm’s tier 1 capital to its              the eSLR standards).7
                                                 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.                            total leverage exposure.4 The                               Subsequently, in 2015, the Board
                                                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                        supplementary leverage ratio                             adopted a final rule establishing a
                                                    OCC: Venus Fan, Risk Expert (202)                    strengthens the capital requirements for                 methodology for identifying a firm as a
                                                 649–6514, Capital and Regulatory                        advanced approaches banking                              global systemically important bank
                                                 Policy; or Carl Kaminski, Special                       organizations by including in the                        holding company (GSIB) and applying a
                                                 Counsel; Allison Hester-Haddad,                         definition of total leverage exposure                    risk-based capital surcharge on such an
                                                 Counsel, or Christopher Rafferty,                                                                                institution (GSIB surcharge rule).8
                                                 Attorney, Legislative and Regulatory                       1 The Board and the OCC issued a joint final rule     Under the GSIB surcharge rule, a U.S.
                                                 Activities Division, (202) 649–5490 or,                 on October 11, 2013 (78 FR 62018), and the FDIC          top-tier bank holding company that is
                                                 for persons who are deaf or hearing                     issued a substantially identical interim final rule on   not a subsidiary of a foreign banking
                                                                                                         September 10, 2013 (78 FR 55340). In April 2014,
                                                 impaired, TTY, (202) 649–5597, Office                   the FDIC adopted the interim final rule as a final       organization and that is an advanced
                                                 of the Comptroller of the Currency, 400                 rule with no substantive changes. 79 FR 20754            approaches banking organization must
                                                 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20219.                    (April 14, 2014).                                        determine whether it is a GSIB by
                                                    Board: Constance M. Horsley, Deputy                     2 Banking organizations subject to the agencies’
                                                                                                                                                                  applying a multifactor methodology
                                                 Associate Director, (202) 452–5239;                     capital rule include national banks, state member        based on size, interconnectedness,
                                                                                                         banks, insured state nonmember banks, savings
                                                 Elizabeth MacDonald, Manager, (202)                     associations, and top-tier bank holding companies        substitutability, complexity, and cross-
                                                 475–6316, Holly Kirkpatrick,                            and savings and loan holding companies domiciled         jurisdictional activity.9 As part of the
                                                 Supervisory Financial Analyst, (202)                    in the United States, but exclude banking
                                                 452–2796, or Noah Cuttler, Senior                       organizations subject to the Board’s Small Bank            5 See 79 FR 24528 (May 1, 2014).
                                                                                                         Holding Company Policy Statement (12 CFR part
                                                 Financial Analyst (202) 912–4678,                       225, appendix C), and certain savings and loan
                                                                                                                                                                    6 The  leverage buffer in the eSLR rule follows the
                                                 Capital and Regulatory Policy, Division                                                                          same general mechanics and structure as the capital
                                                                                                         holding companies that are substantially engaged in      conservation buffer that applies to all banking
                                                 of Banking Supervision and Regulation;                  insurance underwriting or commercial activities or       organizations subject to the capital rule.
                                                 or Benjamin W. McDonough, Assistant                     that are estate trusts, and bank holding companies       Specifically, similar to the capital conservation
                                                                                                         and savings and loan holding companies that are          buffer, a GSIB that maintains a leverage buffer of
                                                 General Counsel, (202) 452–2036; David                  employee stock ownership plans.                          more than 2 percent of its total leverage exposure
                                                 Alexander, Counsel, (202) 452–2877,                        3 12 CFR part 3 (OCC); 12 CFR part 217 (Board);       would not be subject to limitations on its
                                                 Greg Frischmann, Counsel, (202) 452–                    12 CFR part 324 (FDIC).                                  distributions and certain discretionary bonus
                                                 2803, Mark Buresh, Senior Attorney,                        4 A banking organization is an advanced               payments. If the GSIB maintains a leverage buffer
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS




                                                 (202) 452–5270, or Mary Watkins,                        approaches banking organization if it has                of 2 percent or less, it would be subject to
                                                                                                         consolidated assets of at least $250 billion or if it    increasingly stricter limitations on such payouts.
                                                 Attorney, (202) 452–3722, Legal                         has consolidated on-balance sheet foreign                See 12 CFR 217.11(a).
                                                 Division, Board of Governors of the                     exposures of at least $10 billion, or if it is a           7 See 12 CFR part 6 (national banks) and 12 CFR

                                                 Federal Reserve System, 20th and C                      subsidiary of a depository institution, bank holding     part 165 (Federal savings associations) (OCC), and
                                                 Streets NW, Washington, DC 20551. For                   company, savings and loan holding company, or            12 CFR part 208, subpart D (Board).
                                                                                                         intermediate holding company that is an advanced           8 12 CFR 217.402; 80 FR 49082 (August 14, 2015).
                                                 the hearing impaired only,                              approaches banking organization. See 78 FR 62018,          9 12 CFR part 217, subpart H. The methodology
                                                 Telecommunication Device for the Deaf                   62204 (October 11, 2013), 78 FR 55340, 55523             provides a tool for identifying as GSIBs those
                                                 (TDD), (202) 263–4869.                                  (September 10, 2013).                                    banking organizations that pose elevated risks.



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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                                    17319

                                                 GSIB surcharge rule, the Board revised                  changes to either of these components                   calibrated at too low of a level will not
                                                 the application of the eSLR standards to                would likely necessitate reconsideration                serve as an effective complement to a
                                                 apply to any bank holding company                       of the proposed recalibration as the                    risk-based capital requirement.14
                                                 identified as a GSIB and to each Board-                 proposal is not intended to materially                     In 2014, consistent with these goals,
                                                 regulated IDI subsidiary of a GSIB.10                   change the aggregate amount of capital                  the agencies adopted a final eSLR rule
                                                    The OCC’s current eSLR rule applies                  in the banking system.                                  that increased leverage capital
                                                 to national banks and Federal savings                                                                           requirements. The standards in the final
                                                                                                         II. Revisions to the Enhanced                           eSLR rule were designed and calibrated
                                                 associations that are subsidiaries of U.S.
                                                                                                         Supplementary Leverage Ratio                            to strengthen the largest and most
                                                 top-tier bank holding companies with
                                                                                                         Standards                                               interconnected banking organizations’
                                                 more than $700 billion in total
                                                 consolidated assets or more than $10                       The 2007–08 financial crisis                         capital base and to preserve the
                                                 trillion total in assets under custody.                 demonstrated that robust regulatory                     complementary relationship between
                                                                                                         capital standards are necessary for the                 risk-based and leverage capital
                                                 B. Review of Reforms                                    safety and soundness of individual                      requirements in recognition that risk-
                                                    Post-crisis regulatory reforms,                      banking organizations, as well as for the               based capital requirements had
                                                 including the capital rule, the eSLR                    financial system as a whole. Within the                 increased in stringency and amount. As
                                                 rule, and the Board’s GSIB surcharge                    regulatory capital framework, leverage                  the agencies observed in the preamble to
                                                 rule, were designed to improve the                      and risk-based capital requirements play                the proposed eSLR rule, approximately
                                                 safety and soundness and reduce the                     complementary roles, with each                          half of the bank holding companies
                                                 probability of failure of banking                       offsetting potential risks not addressed                subject to the eSLR rule that were bank
                                                 organizations, as well as to reduce the                 by the other. Research shows that risk-                 holding companies in 2006 would have
                                                 consequences to the financial system if                 based and leverage capital measures                     met or exceeded a 3 percent
                                                 such a failure were to occur. For large                 contain complementary information                       supplementary leverage ratio, suggesting
                                                 banking organizations in particular, the                about a bank’s condition.12 Risk-based                  that the minimum leverage standard in
                                                 Board’s and the OCC’s objective has                     capital requirements encourage prudent                  the eSLR rule should be greater than 3
                                                 been to establish capital and other                     behavior by requiring banking                           percent to constrain pre-crisis buildup
                                                 prudential requirements at a level that                 organizations to increase capital as risk-              of leverage at the largest banking
                                                 not only promotes resilience at the                     taking and the overall risk profile at the              organizations.15 Based on experience
                                                 banking organization and protects                       firm increases. Risk-based measures                     during the financial crisis of 2007–08,
                                                 financial stability, but also maximizes                 generally rely on either a standardized                 the agencies determined that there
                                                 long-term through-the-cycle credit                      set of risk weights that are applied to                 could be benefits to financial stability
                                                 availability and economic growth. In                    exposure categories or on more granular                 and reduced costs to the Deposit
                                                 reviewing the post-crisis reforms both                  risk weights based on firm-specific data                Insurance Fund if the largest and most
                                                 individually and collectively, the Board                and models. However, as observed                        interconnected banking organizations
                                                 and the OCC have sought comment on                      during the crisis, risk-based measures                  were required to meet an eSLR standard
                                                 ways to streamline and tailor the                       alone may be insufficient in mitigating                 in addition to the 3 percent minimum
                                                 regulatory framework, while ensuring                    risks to financial stability posed by the               supplementary leverage ratio
                                                 that such firms have adequate capital to                largest, most interconnected banking                    requirement. Accordingly, the eSLR rule
                                                 continue to act as financial                            organizations.                                          required the largest banking
                                                 intermediaries during times of stress.11                   In contrast, a leverage ratio does not               organizations to maintain a leverage
                                                 Consistent with these efforts, the Board                differentiate the amount of capital                     buffer of 2 percent to avoid limitations
                                                 and the OCC are proposing                               required by exposure type. Rather, a                    on distributions and certain
                                                 modifications to the calibration of the                 leverage ratio puts a simple and                        discretionary bonus payments, and
                                                 eSLR standards to make the calibration                  transparent lower bound on banking                      established a 6 percent ‘‘well
                                                 more consistent with the risk-based                     organization leverage. A leverage ratio                 capitalized’’ threshold for IDI
                                                 capital measures now in effect for                      protects against underestimation of risk                subsidiaries of these banking
                                                 GSIBs. The proposed recalibration,                      both by banking organizations and by                    organizations.
                                                 described further below, assumes that                   risk-based capital requirements. It also                   Over the past few years, banking
                                                 the components of the supplementary                     counteracts the inherent tendency of                    organizations have raised concerns that
                                                 leverage ratio use the capital rule’s                   banking organization leverage to                        in certain cases, the standards in the
                                                 current definitions of tier 1 capital and               increase in a boom and fall in a                        eSLR rule have generally become a
                                                 total leverage exposure. Significant                    recession.13                                            binding constraint rather than a
                                                                                                            Leverage capital requirements should                 backstop to the risk-based standards.
                                                    10 The eSLR rule does not apply to intermediate      generally act as a backstop to the risk-                Thus, the current calibration of the
                                                 holding companies of foreign banking organizations      based requirements. If a leverage ratio is              eSLR rule may create incentives for
                                                 as such firms are outside the scope of the GSIB         calibrated at a level that makes it                     banking organizations bound by the
                                                 surcharge rule and cannot be identified as U.S.         generally a binding constraint through
                                                 GSIBs.                                                                                                          eSLR standards to reduce participation
                                                    11 For example, in 2017, the agencies and the
                                                                                                         the economic and credit cycle, it can                   in or increase costs for lower-risk,
                                                 National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)             create incentives for firms to reduce                   lower-return businesses, such as
                                                 submitted a report to Congress pursuant to the          participation in or increase costs for                  secured repo financing, central clearing
                                                 Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork                low-risk, low-return businesses. At the                 services for market participants, and
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                                                 Reduction Act in which the agencies and the NCUA
                                                 committed to meaningfully reducing regulatory
                                                                                                         same time, a leverage ratio that is
                                                                                                                                                                    14 78 FR 51101, 51105–6 (August 20, 2013); 78 FR
                                                 burden, especially on community banking
                                                                                                           12 See,  e.g., Arturo Estrella, Sangkyun Park, and    57725, 57727–8 (September 26, 2014).
                                                 organizations, while at the same time maintaining
                                                 safety and soundness and the quality and quantity       Stavros Peristiani (2000): ‘‘Capital Ratios as             15 This analysis was based on fourth quarter 2006

                                                 of regulatory capital in the banking system.            Predictors of Bank Failure,’’ Federal Reserve Bank      data compiled from the FR Y–9C report
                                                 Consistent with that commitment, the agencies           of New York Economic Policy Review.                     (consolidated bank holding companies), the FFIEC
                                                 issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in 2017 that        13 See, e.g., Galo Nuño and Carlos Thomas (2017):   031 report (banks), the FDIC failed banks list, and
                                                 would simplify certain aspects of the capital rule.     ‘‘Bank Leverage Cycles,’’ American Economic             attributes data for bank holding companies from the
                                                 82 FR 49984 (October 27, 2017).                         Journal: Macroeconomics.                                National Information Center.



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                                                 17320                    Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules

                                                 taking custody deposits,                                 the IDI subsidiary level has created                        Under the current rule, IDI
                                                 notwithstanding client demand for                        incentives, similar to those created at                  subsidiaries of the largest and most
                                                 those services. Accordingly, in light of                 the GSIB holding company level, for IDI                  complex banking organizations are
                                                 the experience gained since the initial                  subsidiaries to reduce participation in                  required to maintain a 6 percent
                                                 adoption of the eSLR standards, and to                   or increase costs for low-risk, low-return               supplementary leverage ratio to be
                                                 avoid potential negative outcomes, the                   businesses. Specifically, banking                        considered ‘‘well capitalized’’ under the
                                                 Board and the OCC are proposing to                       organizations have stated that the eSLR                  PCA framework. As discussed above,
                                                 recalibrate the standards in the eSLR                    standard as applied at the IDI subsidiary                the Board and the OCC believe that the
                                                 rule.                                                    level may create disincentives for firms                 leverage requirements should be
                                                                                                          bound by the eSLR standard to provide                    calibrated such that they are generally
                                                 A. GSIB Surcharge Rule and Firm-
                                                                                                          certain banking functions, such as                       the backstop to risk-based capital
                                                 Specific Surcharges
                                                                                                          secured repo financing, central clearing                 requirements. Consistent with that view
                                                   The GSIB surcharge rule is designed                    services for market participants, and                    and with the treatment of GSIBs, the
                                                 both to ensure that a GSIB holds capital                 taking custody deposits. In order to                     proposal would replace the 6 percent
                                                 commensurate with its systemic risk                      decrease incentives for firms to reduce                  supplementary leverage ratio threshold
                                                 and to provide a GSIB with an incentive                  participation in or increase costs for                   for a Board- or OCC-regulated IDI
                                                 to adjust its systemic footprint.16 Under                low-risk, low-return businesses, which                   subsidiary subject to the eSLR standards
                                                 the GSIB surcharge rule, a firm’s GSIB                   may have an adverse effect on safety                     (covered IDI) to be considered ‘‘well
                                                 surcharge varies according to the firm’s                 and soundness, and to help ensure that                   capitalized’’ under the PCA framework
                                                 systemic importance as measured using                    leverage requirements generally serve as                 with a supplementary leverage ratio
                                                 the methodology outlined in the rule.                    a backstop to risk-based capital                         threshold of 3 percent plus 50 percent
                                                 Accordingly, the framework set forth in                  requirements, the Board and the OCC                      of the GSIB surcharge applicable to the
                                                 the GSIB surcharge rule, which had not                   are proposing to modify the eSLR                         covered IDI’s GSIB holding company.
                                                 yet been proposed at the time the                        standards applicable to Board- and                       Thus, for a covered IDI, the ‘‘well
                                                 agencies adopted the eSLR rule, would                    OCC-regulated IDI subsidiaries. In order                 capitalized’’ threshold would depend on
                                                 provide a mechanism for tailoring the                    to be consistent with the Board’s                        the GSIB surcharge applicable at the
                                                 eSLR standards based on measures of                      regulations for identifying GSIBs and                    holding company. These modifications
                                                 systemic risk.                                           measuring the eSLR standards for                         to the PCA framework would help to
                                                 B. Prompt Corrective Action                              holding companies and their IDI                          maintain the complementarity of the
                                                 Requirements                                             subsidiaries, the OCC also is proposing                  risk-based and leverage standards at the
                                                                                                          to revise its eSLR rule to ensure that it                covered IDI in a manner consistent with
                                                    The PCA framework establishes levels                  will apply to only those national banks
                                                 of capitalization at which an IDI will                                                                            the proposed changes to the leverage
                                                                                                          and Federal savings associations that are                buffer at the GSIB holding company.
                                                 become subject to limits on activities or                subsidiaries of holding companies
                                                 to closure.17 While the capital rule                                                                                 The ‘‘well capitalized’’ threshold is
                                                                                                          identified as GSIBs under the GSIB                       used to determine eligibility for a
                                                 incorporated the 3 percent                               surcharge rule.
                                                 supplementary leverage ratio minimum                                                                              variety of regulatory purposes, such as
                                                 requirement into the PCA framework as                    III. Proposed Revisions to the eSLR                      streamlined application procedures,
                                                 an ‘‘adequately capitalized’’ threshold                  Standards                                                status as a financial holding company,
                                                 for any IDI subsidiary that is an                           Under the current eSLR rule, all                      the ability to control or hold a financial
                                                 advanced approaches banking                              GSIBs are required to maintain a                         interest in a financial subsidiary, and in
                                                 organization, it did not specify a                       supplementary leverage ratio greater                     interstate applications.20 The Board and
                                                 corresponding supplementary leverage                     than 3 percent plus a leverage buffer of                 the OCC recognize that tying a banking
                                                 ratio threshold at which such an IDI                     2 percent to avoid limitations on                        organization’s eSLR standards to its
                                                 subsidiary would be considered ‘‘well                    distributions and certain discretionary                  systemic footprint, as measured under
                                                 capitalized.’’ The eSLR rule                             bonus payments. The proposal would                       the Board’s GSIB surcharge rule,21 may
                                                 subsequently established a 6 percent                     replace each GSIB’s 2 percent leverage                   mean that the ‘‘well capitalized’’
                                                 supplementary leverage ratio threshold                   buffer with a leverage buffer set equal to               threshold could change from year-to-
                                                 at which IDI subsidiaries of the largest                 50 percent of the firm’s GSIB surcharge,                 year depending on the activities of the
                                                 and most complex banking                                 as determined according to the Board’s                   particular organization. Consistent with
                                                 organizations would be considered                        GSIB surcharge rule.19                                   the requirements for GSIBs, a covered
                                                 ‘‘well capitalized.’’ 18 However, since                                                                           IDI would have one full calendar year
                                                 adoption of the eSLR rule, banking                         19 On April 10, 2018, the Board requested              after the year in which its eSLR
                                                 organizations have raised concerns that                  comment on a proposal to integrate the Board’s           threshold increased to meet the new
                                                 the calibration of the eSLR standard at                  capital rule with the supervisory post-stress capital    threshold.22 Nonetheless, in order to
                                                                                                          assessment conducted as part of the Board’s annual
                                                                                                          Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review. That
                                                                                                                                                                   facilitate long-term capital and business
                                                    16 As laid out in the white paper accompanying
                                                                                                          proposal would amend the Board’s capital plan            planning, some institutions may prefer
                                                 the GSIB surcharge rule, the risk-based GSIB             rule, capital rule, and stress testing rules, and make   for the Board and the OCC to maintain
                                                 surcharges were calibrated to equalize the expected      further amendments to the stress testing policy
                                                 impact on the stability of the financial system of the
                                                                                                                                                                   a static ‘‘well capitalized’’ threshold.
                                                                                                          statement that was proposed for public comment on
                                                 failure of a GSIB with the expected systemic impact      December 15, 2017. See 12 CFR 225.8; 12 CFR 252;
                                                 of the failure of a large bank holding company that      88 FR 59529 (December 15, 2017). See https://            method (method 2) uses similar inputs, but replaces
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                                                 is not a GSIB (expected impact approach). 80 FR          www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/         substitutability with the use of short-term wholesale
                                                 49082 (August 14, 2015).                                 bcreg20180410a.htm                                       funding and is calibrated in a manner that generally
                                                    17 The levels are critically undercapitalized,                                                                 will result in surcharge levels for GSIBs that are
                                                                                                            See 12 CFR 217.403. Under the GSIB surcharge
                                                 significantly undercapitalized, undercapitalized,        rule, a firm identified as a GSIB must calculate its     higher than those calculated under method 1.
                                                                                                                                                                     20 See, e.g., 12 U.S.C. 24a(a)(2)(C); 12 U.S.C.
                                                 adequately capitalized, and well capitalized. See 12     GSIB surcharge under two methods and be subject
                                                 CFR part 6 (national banks); 12 CFR part 165             to the higher surcharge. The first method (method        1831u(b)(4)(B); 12 U.S.C. 1842(d); 12 CFR 5.33(j),
                                                 (Federal savings associations) (OCC); and 12 CFR         1) is based on five categories that are correlated       5.34(e)(5)(ii), 5.35(f), 5.39(g); 12 CFR 225.8(f)(2);
                                                 part 208, subpart D (Board).                             with systemic importance—size,                           225.82; 225.4(b), 225.14, 225.23; 211.24(c)(3).
                                                    18 The eSLR rule also applied these standards to                                                                 21 See 12 CFR part 217, subpart H.
                                                                                                          interconnectedness, cross-jurisdictional activity,
                                                 covered state nonmember banks.                           substitutability, and complexity. The second               22 12 CFR 217.403(d)(1).




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                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                                        17321

                                                 Additionally, treating the eSLR standard                  IV. Impact Analysis                                        Analysis therefore indicates that the
                                                 as a buffer, which an IDI subsidiary may                     Based on third quarter 2017 data, and                 proposed eSLR recalibration would
                                                 use during times of economic stress,                      assuming fully phased-in GSIB                            reduce the capital required to be held by
                                                 may have less pro-cyclical effects.                       surcharges were in effect, one of the                    the GSIBs for purposes of meeting the
                                                    Therefore, as an alternative to revising               eight GSIBs would currently have its                     eSLR standards, but the more firm-
                                                 the eSLR threshold for a covered IDI to                   most binding capital requirement under                   specific and risk-sensitive approach to
                                                 be considered ‘‘well capitalized,’’ the                   the capital rule set by the proposed                     the eSLR buffer in the proposal would
                                                 Board and the OCC are considering                         eSLR, compared with four of eight                        more appropriately align each GSIB’s
                                                 applying the eSLR standard as a capital                   GSIBs that are bound by the eSLR under                   leverage buffer with its systemic
                                                 buffer requirement. Under this                            the current eSLR rule.24 Under the                       footprint. Importantly, under the
                                                 approach, the PCA framework would                         proposed eSLR standards, the amount of                   proposal, to the extent a firm’s systemic
                                                 retain the 3 percent supplementary                        tier 1 capital required to avoid                         footprint and GSIB surcharge increases,
                                                 leverage ratio requirement to be                          restrictions based on the capital buffers                the amount of tier 1 capital required to
                                                                                                           in the capital rule would decrease by                    meet its applicable eSLR standard also
                                                 considered ‘‘adequately capitalized,’’
                                                                                                           approximately $9 billion across the                      would increase. Further, and
                                                 but there would no longer be a
                                                                                                           eight GSIBs.25 Each of the GSIBs subject                 notwithstanding the proposed
                                                 supplementary leverage ratio threshold
                                                                                                           to the eSLR rule would have met the                      recalibration, GSIBs remain subject to
                                                 for a covered IDI to be considered ‘‘well
                                                                                                           minimum supplementary leverage ratio                     the most stringent regulatory standards,
                                                 capitalized.’’ Instead, the eSLR standard
                                                                                                           of 3 percent plus a 2 percent leverage                   including in particular the risk-based
                                                 would be applied to a covered IDI
                                                                                                           buffer had the eSLR rule been in effect                  GSIB surcharge and total loss-absorbing
                                                 alongside the existing capital
                                                                                                           third quarter 2017, and assuming fully                   capacity standards.
                                                 conservation buffer 23 in the same                                                                                   For covered IDIs, the proposed rule
                                                 manner that the eSLR standard applies                     phased-in GSIB surcharges were
                                                                                                           applicable in that quarter, each of the                  would replace the current 6 percent
                                                 to GSIBs. Thus, under this alternative                                                                             eSLR standard in the ‘‘well capitalized’’
                                                 approach, GSIBs and covered IDIs                          eight GSIBs would have also met the
                                                                                                           minimum supplementary leverage ratio,                    threshold with a new standard equal to
                                                 would be required to maintain a                                                                                    3 percent plus 50 percent of the GSIB’s
                                                 leverage buffer set to 50 percent of the                  plus a leverage buffer set to 50 percent
                                                                                                           of the GSIB surcharge, had the proposal                  surcharge. The current eSLR standard
                                                 GSIB surcharge applicable to the GSIB                                                                              tends to be more binding than risk-
                                                 or the GSIB holding company of the                        been in effect. The GSIBs held in
                                                                                                           aggregate nearly $955 billion in tier 1                  based capital requirements at the IDI
                                                 covered IDI, as applicable, over the 3                                                                             level than at the holding company level
                                                 percent supplementary leverage ratio                      capital as of third quarter 2017.
                                                                                                              The Board’s capital plan rule also                    because the eSLR standard is calibrated
                                                 minimum to avoid limitations on                                                                                    higher and the agencies have not
                                                 distributions and certain discretionary                   requires certain large bank holding
                                                                                                           companies, including the GSIBs, to hold                  imposed a GSIB surcharge at the IDI
                                                 bonus payments. The Board and the                                                                                  level. Based on data as of third quarter
                                                 OCC are requesting comment on                             capital in excess of the minimum capital
                                                                                                           ratios by requiring them to demonstrate                  2017, the eSLR standard is the most
                                                 whether it would be more appropriate to                                                                            binding tier 1 capital requirement for all
                                                                                                           the ability to satisfy the capital
                                                 apply the eSLR standard to a covered                                                                               eight lead IDI subsidiaries of the GSIBs.
                                                                                                           requirements under stressful
                                                 IDI as a capital buffer requirement,                                                                               Under the proposal, the eSLR standard
                                                                                                           conditions.26 Taking into account the
                                                 rather than as part of the PCA threshold                                                                           would be the most binding tier 1 capital
                                                                                                           capital buffer requirements in the
                                                 for ‘‘well capitalized.’’                                                                                          requirement for three of these covered
                                                                                                           capital rule together with estimates of
                                                    The proposed recalibration of the                      the capital required under the capital                   IDIs.28 The amount of tier 1 capital
                                                 eSLR standards for GSIBs and covered                      plan rule, the proposal would reduce                     required under the proposed eSLR
                                                 IDIs would continue to provide a                          the amount of tier 1 capital required                    standard across the lead IDI subsidiaries
                                                 meaningful constraint on leverage while                   across the GSIBs by approximately $400                   would be approximately $121 billion
                                                 ensuring a more appropriate                               million.27                                               less than what is required under the
                                                 complementary relationship between                                                                                 current eSLR standard to be considered
                                                 these firms’ risk-based and leverage                         24 Analysis reflects data from the Consolidated       well-capitalized.29 The proposed eSLR
                                                 capital requirements. Specifically, the                   Financial Statements for Holding Companies (FR
                                                                                                           Y–9C), the Consolidated Reports of Condition and         under the proposed eSLR standards relative to the
                                                 proposal would help ensure that the                       Income for a Bank with Domestic and Foreign              amount of capital required for such firms to exceed
                                                 leverage capital requirements generally                   Offices (FFIEC 031), and the Regulatory Capital          a 5 percent supplementary leverage ratio, as well as
                                                 serve as a backstop to risk-based capital                 Reporting for Institutions Subject to the Advanced       the minimum tier 1 risk-based capital ratio plus
                                                 requirements. In addition, the proposed                   Capital Adequacy Framework (FFIEC 101), as               applicable capital conservation buffer requirement,
                                                                                                           reported by the GSIBs and the covered IDIs as of         which includes each firm’s applicable GSIB
                                                 calibration would reinforce incentives                    third quarter 2017.                                      surcharge, and post-stress minimum tier 1-based
                                                 created by the GSIB surcharge for GSIBs                      25 The $9 billion figure is approximately 1 percent   capital requirements (i.e., tier 1 risk-based capital
                                                 to reduce their systemic footprint by                     of the amount of tier 1 capital held by the GSIBs        ratio, leverage ratio, and supplementary leverage
                                                 providing less systemic firms with a                      as of third quarter 2017. The $9 billion figure          ratio).
                                                 lower GSIB surcharge and a parallel                       represents the aggregate decrease in the amount of          28 The Board and the OCC estimate that the
                                                                                                           tier 1 capital required across the GSIBs under the       proposed eSLR standard would be the most binding
                                                 lower ‘‘well capitalized’’ threshold in                   proposed eSLR standards relative to the amount of        tier 1 capital requirement for a total of eight covered
                                                 the PCA framework. Setting the leverage                   capital required for such firms to exceed a 5 percent    IDIs that reported their total leverage exposure on
                                                 buffer in the eSLR rule to 50 percent of                  supplementary leverage ratio, as well as the             the FFIEC 031 report, five of which are non-lead IDI
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                                                 the GSIB surcharge also would mirror                      minimum tier 1 risk-based capital ratio plus             subsidiaries. 12 U.S.C. 1841(o)(8); 12 CFR 225.2(h).
                                                                                                           applicable capital conservation buffer requirement,         29 The $121 billion figure represents the aggregate
                                                 the relationship between the minimum                      which includes each firm’s applicable GSIB               decrease in the amount of tier 1 capital required
                                                 tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6                      surcharge.                                               across the lead IDI subsidiaries of the GSIBs to meet
                                                 percent and the minimum                                      26 12 CFR 225.8(e)(2).
                                                                                                                                                                    the proposed eSLR well-capitalized standard
                                                 supplementary leverage ratio of 3                            27 The $400 million figure is approximately 0.04      relative to the amount of capital required for such
                                                 percent.                                                  percent of the amount of tier 1 capital held by the      firms to meet the current 6 percent well-capitalized
                                                                                                           GSIBs as of third quarter 2017. The $400 million         standard, as well as the tier 1 risk-based capital
                                                                                                           figure represents the aggregate decrease in the          ratio plus applicable capital conservation buffer
                                                   23 See   12 CFR 3.11 and 12 CFR 217.11.                 amount of tier 1 capital required across the GSIBs                                                    Continued




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                                                 17322                   Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules

                                                 standards along with current risk-based                   Question 7: The Board has issued for                  depletion) plus 50 percent of the GSIB’s
                                                 capital standards and other constraints                 comment a separate proposal that,                       applicable GSIB surcharge.
                                                 applicable at the holding company level                 among other changes, would use the                         In addition, the Board is proposing to
                                                 would continue to limit the amount of                   results of its annual supervisory stress                make certain minor amendments to the
                                                 capital that GSIBs could distribute to                  test to size buffer requirements                        TLAC rule, including amendments to
                                                 investors, thus supporting the safety and               applicable to U.S. bank holding                         ensure that LTD is calculated the same
                                                 soundness of GSIBs and helping to                       companies that are subject to the                       way for all TLAC requirements.
                                                 maintain financial stability.                           Board’s capital plan rule. How would                    Specifically, the proposal provides that
                                                    Question 1: To what extent would the                 that proposal affect the responses to the               the external TLAC risk-weighted buffer
                                                 proposed eSLR standards appropriately                   questions above or other aspects of the                 level, TLAC leverage buffer level, and
                                                 balance the need for regulatory                         proposed modifications to the eSLR                      the TLAC buffer level for U.S.
                                                 standards that enhance systemic                         standards?                                              intermediate holding companies of
                                                 stability with the long-term goal of                                                                            foreign GSIBs (covered IHCs) would be
                                                 credit availability, efficiency, and                    V. Amendments to Total Loss-
                                                                                                                                                                 amended to use the same haircuts
                                                 business growth? What alternatives, if                  Absorbing Capacity Standards
                                                                                                                                                                 applicable to LTD that are currently
                                                 any, should the Board and the OCC                          The Board’s final rule regarding total               used to calculate outstanding minimum
                                                 consider that would more appropriately                  loss-absorbing capacity, long-term debt,                required TLAC amounts, which do not
                                                 strike this balance?                                    and clean holding company                               include a 50 percent haircut on LTD
                                                    Question 2: How would the proposed                   requirements for GSIBs and                              instruments with a remaining maturity
                                                 calibration of the eSLR standards affect                intermediate holding companies of                       of between one and two years. These
                                                 business decisions of GSIBs and covered                 systemically important foreign banking                  minor amendments also include
                                                 IDIs? How, if at all, would the proposal                organizations 30 (TLAC rule) applies a 2                changes such that the term ‘‘External
                                                 change the incentives for GSIBs and                     percent supplementary-leverage-ratio-                   TLAC risk-weighted buffer’’ is used
                                                 covered IDIs to participate in or increase              based TLAC buffer in addition to the 7.5                consistently in the TLAC rule, to
                                                 costs for low-risk, low-return                          percent leverage component of a GSIB’s                  provide that a new covered IHC will in
                                                 businesses? Alternatively, how would a                  external TLAC requirement. The                          all cases have three years to conform to
                                                 reduction in tier 1 capital across the                  adoption of this buffer was designed to                 most of the requirements of the TLAC
                                                 GSIBs resulting from the proposed                       parallel the leverage buffer applicable to              rule, and to align the articulation of the
                                                 calibration impact the overall resilience               these firms under the eSLR rule and                     methodology for calculating the covered
                                                 of the financial system?                                applies on top of the minimum TLAC                      IHC LTD amount with the same
                                                    Question 3: What, if any, beneficial or
                                                                                                         leverage requirement.31 Accordingly,                    methodology used for GSIBs.
                                                 negative consequences for market
                                                                                                         the Board is proposing to amend the                        Question 8: What, if any, concerns
                                                 participants, consumers, and financial
                                                                                                         TLAC rule to replace each GSIB’s 2                      would the proposed modification of the
                                                 stability are likely to result from the
                                                                                                         percent TLAC leverage buffer with a                     external TLAC leverage buffer
                                                 proposed calibration? Please provide
                                                 examples and data where feasible.                       buffer set to 50 percent of the firm’s                  requirement (that is, replacing the fixed
                                                    Question 4: What, if any, alternative                GSIB surcharge. This change would                       2 percent external TLAC leverage buffer
                                                 methods would be more appropriate to                    conform the TLAC leverage buffer with                   with an external TLAC leverage buffer
                                                 determine the level of firm-specific                    the proposed revised eSLR standard for                  set to 50 percent of a firm’s GSIB
                                                 eSLR standards? For example, what                       GSIBs.                                                  surcharge) pose? What if any alternative
                                                 other approaches using publicly                            The Board’s TLAC rule also                           approach should the Board consider and
                                                 reported data, such as the systemic risk                establishes a minimum leverage-based                    why?
                                                 data collected on the FR Y–15, would be                 external long-term debt (LTD)                              Question 9: The Board is considering,
                                                 appropriate? Please provide examples                    requirement for a GSIB equal to the                     for purposes of any final rule, whether
                                                 and data where feasible.                                GSIB’s total leverage exposure                          it also should modify the requirement at
                                                    Question 5: Should the Board and the                 multiplied by 4.5 percent. As described                 12 CFR 252.63(a)(2) that a GSIB
                                                 OCC consider alternative approaches to                  in the preamble to the final TLAC rule,                 maintain an external loss-absorbing
                                                 address the relative bindingness of                     this component of the LTD requirement                   capacity amount that is no less than 7.5
                                                 leverage requirements to risk-based                     was calibrated by subtracting a 0.5                     percent of the GSIB’s total leverage
                                                 capital requirements for certain firms?                 percent balance sheet depletion                         exposure (7.5 percent requirement).
                                                 Specifically, what are the benefits and                 allowance from the amount required to                   What, if any, modifications to the 7.5
                                                 drawbacks of excluding central bank                     satisfy the combined supplementary                      percent requirement would be
                                                 reserves from the denominator of the                    leverage ratio requirement and eSLR                     appropriate to address the changes
                                                 supplementary leverage ratio as an                      (i.e., 5 percent).32 Accordingly, the                   proposed above, such as the proposed
                                                 alternative to the proposal? In                         Board is proposing to amend the                         changes to the eSLR requirement and
                                                 comparison to the proposal, how would                   minimum LTD standard to reflect the                     the related changes to the TLAC
                                                 such an exclusion affect the business                   proposed change to the eSLR. The                        requirement, or to address other changes
                                                 decisions of firms supervised by the                    proposed amended leverage-based                         in circumstances since the TLAC rule
                                                 Board and the OCC?                                      external LTD standard would be total                    was finalized, such as new foreign or
                                                    Question 6: Would it be more                         leverage exposure multiplied by 2.5                     international standards related to total
                                                 appropriate to apply the eSLR standard                  percent (i.e., 3 percent minus 0.5                      loss absorbing capacity or capital? What,
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                                                 to a covered IDI as capital buffer                      percent to allow for balance sheet                      if any, modifications to the 7.5 percent
                                                 requirement, rather than as part of the                                                                         requirement would be appropriate for
                                                 PCA ‘‘well capitalized’’ threshold?                        30 12 CFR 252.60–.65, .153, .160–.167; 82 FR 8266    other reasons, including modifications
                                                                                                         (January 24, 2017).                                     to match or better align with the TLAC
                                                 requirement. The amount of tier 1 capital required         31 Under the TLAC rule, a GSIB’s external TLAC
                                                                                                                                                                 rule’s supplementary leverage ratio
                                                 across all covered IDIs that reported their total       leverage buffer requirement is equal to 2 percent of    requirements for covered IHCs (i.e., a
                                                 leverage exposure on the FFIEC 031 report would         total leverage exposure, which is the same buffer set
                                                 decrease by approximately $122 billion under the        under the eSLR rule.                                    TLAC amount no less than 6 to 6.75
                                                 proposal.                                                  32 82 FR 8266, 8275 (January 24, 2017).              percent of the covered IHC’s total


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                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                            17323

                                                 leverage exposure) 33 or with similar                     (44 U.S.C. 3501–3521) (PRA), the Board                  Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
                                                 foreign or international standards or                     and the OCC may not conduct or                          describing the impact of the rule on
                                                 expectations? Should any such                             sponsor, and a respondent is not                        small entities or to certify that the
                                                 modification revise the 7.5 percent                       required to respond to, an information                  proposed rule would not have a
                                                 requirement to be dynamic, such as a                      collection unless it displays a currently               significant economic impact on a
                                                 requirement linked to a GSIB’s risk-                      valid Office of Management and Budget                   substantial number of small entities. An
                                                 based capital surcharge and, if so,                       (OMB) control number. The Board and                     Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
                                                 should that revised requirement be                        the OCC reviewed the proposed rule                      must contain (1) a description of the
                                                 based on the same percentage as the                       and determined that it does not create                  reasons why action by the agency is
                                                 proposed calibration of the eSLR                          any new or revise any existing                          being considered; (2) a succinct
                                                 standard and minimum LTD standard                         collection of information under section                 statement of the objectives of, and legal
                                                 (i.e., 50 percent of the GSIB’s risk-based                3504(h) of title 44.                                    basis for, the proposed rule; (3) a
                                                 capital surcharge) or a higher (e.g., 100                                                                         description of, and, where feasible, an
                                                 percent) or lower percentage (e.g., 25                    B. Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis                  estimate of the number of small entities
                                                 percent)?                                                    OCC: The Regulatory Flexibility Act,                 to which the proposed rule will apply;
                                                    In responding to this question,                        5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., (RFA), requires an                (4) a description of the projected
                                                 commenters are invited to describe the                    agency, in connection with a proposed                   reporting, recordkeeping, and other
                                                 rationale for any suggested                               rule, to prepare an Initial Regulatory                  compliance requirements of the
                                                 modifications to the 7.5 percent                          Flexibility Analysis describing the                     proposed rule, including an estimate of
                                                 requirement and how such rationale                        impact of the rule on small entities                    the classes of small entities that will be
                                                 relates to the Board’s overall rationale                  (defined by the Small Business                          subject to the requirement and the type
                                                 for the proposal, the rationale for the                   Administration (SBA) for purposes of                    of professional skills necessary for
                                                 capital refill framework described in the                 the RFA to include commercial banks                     preparation of the report or record; and
                                                 preamble to the final TLAC rule,34 or                     and savings institutions with total assets              (5) an identification, to the extent
                                                 other rationales for establishing or                      of $550 million or less and trust                       practicable, of all relevant Federal rules
                                                 calibrating TLAC requirements. For                        companies with total assets of $38.5                    which may duplicate, overlap with, or
                                                 example, a response could explain                         million of less) or to certify that the                 conflict with the proposed rule.
                                                 what, if any, modifications to the                        proposed rule would not have a                            The Board has considered the
                                                 requirement should be made based on                       significant economic impact on a                        potential impact of the proposed rule on
                                                 the proposed modifications to the eSLR                    substantial number of small entities.                   small entities in accordance with the
                                                 standard, the minimum LTD standard,                          The OCC currently supervises 956                     RFA. Based on its analysis and for the
                                                 and the capital refill framework (such as                 small entities.35                                       reasons stated below, the Board believes
                                                 revising the 7.5 percent requirement to                      As described in the SUPPLEMENTARY                    that this proposed rule will not have a
                                                 require TLAC in an amount no less than                    INFORMATION section of the preamble, the                significant economic impact on a
                                                 5.5 percent, plus 50 percent of the firm’s                proposed rule would revise the eSLR                     substantial number of small entities.
                                                 GSIB risk-based capital surcharge, of the                 rule, which applies to GSIBs and their                  Nevertheless, the Board is publishing
                                                 GSIB’s total leverage exposure).                          IDI subsidiaries. Because the proposed                  and inviting comment on this initial
                                                                                                           rule would apply only to GSIBs and                      regulatory flexibility analysis. A final
                                                 V. Additional Requests for Comment
                                                                                                           their IDI subsidiaries, it would not                    regulatory flexibility analysis will be
                                                   The Board and the OCC seek                              impact any OCC-supervised small                         conducted after comments received
                                                 comment on all aspects of the proposed                    entities. Therefore, the OCC certifies                  during the public comment period have
                                                 modifications to the eSLR standards for                   that the proposed rule would not have                   been considered.
                                                 GSIBs and covered IDIs, as well as on                     a significant economic impact on a                        As discussed in detail above, the
                                                 amendments made to the calculation of                     substantial number of OCC-supervised                    Board and the OCC are proposing to
                                                 the external TLAC leverage buffer, and                                                                            recalibrate the eSLR requirements to
                                                                                                           small entities
                                                 other minor changes to the TLAC rule.                        Board: The RFA, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.,                provide improved incentives and to
                                                 Comments are requested about the                          requires an agency to consider whether                  better ensure that the eSLR serves as a
                                                 potential advantages of the proposal in                                                                           backstop to risk-based capital
                                                                                                           the rules it proposes will have a
                                                 ensuring the individual safety and                                                                                requirements rather than the binding
                                                                                                           significant economic impact on a
                                                 soundness of these banking                                                                                        constraint. Consistent with these
                                                                                                           substantial number of small entities.36
                                                 organizations as well as on the stability                                                                         objectives, the proposal would make
                                                                                                           In connection with a proposed rule, the
                                                 of the financial system. Comments are                                                                             corresponding changes the Board’s
                                                                                                           RFA requires an agency to prepare an
                                                 also requested about the calibration and                                                                          TLAC requirements, along with other
                                                 capital impact of the proposal,                             35 The OCC calculated the number of small             technical and minor changes to the
                                                 including whether the proposal                            entities using the SBA’s size thresholds for            Board’s TLAC rule.
                                                 appropriately maintains a                                 commercial banks and savings institutions, and            The Board has broad authority under
                                                 complementary relationship between                        trust companies, which are $550 million and $38.5       the International Lending Supervision
                                                 the risk-based and leverage capital                       million, respectively. Consistent with the General
                                                                                                           Principles of Affiliation, 13 CFR 121.103(a), the       Act (ILSA) 37 and the PCA provisions of
                                                 requirements, and the nature and extent                   OCC counted the assets of affiliated financial          the Federal Deposit Insurance Act 38 to
                                                 of costs and benefits to the affected                     institutions when determining whether to classify       establish regulatory capital
                                                 institutions or the broader economy.                      a national bank or federal savings association as a     requirements for the institutions it
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                                                                                                           small entity.
                                                 VII. Regulatory Analyses                                    36 Under regulations issued by the Small Business
                                                                                                                                                                   regulates. For example, ILSA directs
                                                                                                           Administration, a small entity includes a depository    each Federal banking agency to cause
                                                 A. Paperwork Reduction Act                                institution, bank holding company, or savings and       banking institutions to achieve and
                                                   In accordance with the requirements                     loan holding company with total assets of $550          maintain adequate capital by
                                                                                                           million or less and trust companies with total assets
                                                 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995                    of $38.5 million or less. As of June 30, 2017, there
                                                                                                                                                                   establishing minimum capital
                                                                                                           were approximately 3,451 small bank holding
                                                   33 12   CFR 252.165(a)(2), (b)(2).                                                                               37 12   U.S.C. 3901–3911.
                                                                                                           companies, 224 small savings and loan holding
                                                   34 82   FR 8266 (January 24, 2017).                     companies, and 566 small state member banks.             38 12   U.S.C. 1831o.



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                                                 17324                    Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules

                                                 requirements as well as by other means                   conflict with the proposed changes to                  institutions, and customers of
                                                 that the agency deems appropriate.39                     the eSLR rule and the TLAC rule. The                   depository institutions, as well as the
                                                 The PCA provisions of the Federal                        Board believes that the proposed                       benefits of such regulations. In addition,
                                                 Deposit Insurance Act direct each                        changes to the eSLR rule and TLAC rule                 new regulations and amendments to
                                                 Federal banking agency to specify, for                   will not have a significant economic                   regulations that impose additional
                                                 each relevant capital measure, the level                 impact on small banking organizations                  reporting, disclosures, or other new
                                                 at which an IDI subsidiary is well                       supervised by the Board and therefore                  requirements on IDIs generally must
                                                 capitalized, adequately capitalized,                     believes that there are no significant                 take effect on the first day of a calendar
                                                 undercapitalized, and significantly                      alternatives to the proposed rule that                 quarter that begins on or after the date
                                                 undercapitalized.40 In addition, the                     would reduce the economic impact on                    on which the regulations are published
                                                 Board has broad authority to establish                   small banking organizations supervised                 in final form.43
                                                 regulatory capital standards for bank                    by the Board.                                            Because the proposal would not
                                                 holding companies under the Bank                            The Board welcomes comment on all                   impose additional reporting, disclosure,
                                                 Holding Company Act and the Dodd-                        aspects of its analysis. In particular, the            or other requirements on IDIs, section
                                                 Frank Reform and Consumer Protection                     Board requests that commenters                         302 of the RCDRIA therefore does not
                                                 Act (Dodd-Frank Act).41 Section 165 of                   describe the nature of any impact on                   apply. Nevertheless, the requirements of
                                                 the Dodd-Frank Act provides the legal                    small entities and provide empirical                   RCDRIA will be considered as part of
                                                 authority for the Board’s proposed                       data to illustrate and support the extent              the overall rulemaking process. In
                                                 revisions to the TLAC rule.42                            of the impact.                                         addition, the Board and the OCC also
                                                    The proposed changes to the eSLR                      C. Plain Language                                      invite any other comments that further
                                                 rule would apply only to entities that                                                                          will inform the Board’s and the OCC’s
                                                 are GSIBs, as identified by the GSIB                       Section 722 of the Gramm-Leach-                      consideration of RCDRIA.
                                                 surcharge rule, and any IDI subsidiary of                Bliley Act requires the Federal banking
                                                                                                          agencies to use plain language in all                  E. OCC Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
                                                 a GSIB that is regulated by the Board.
                                                                                                          proposed and final rules published after               of 1995 Determination
                                                 Currently, no small top-tier bank
                                                 holding company would meet the                           January 1, 2000. The Board and the OCC                   The OCC analyzed the proposed rule
                                                 threshold criteria for application of the                have sought to present the proposed                    under the factors set forth in the
                                                 eSLR standards provided in this                          rule in a simple and straightforward                   Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
                                                 proposal. Accordingly, the proposed                      manner, and invite comment on the use                  (2 U.S.C. 1532). Under this analysis, the
                                                 changes to the eSLR rule would not                       of plain language. For example:                        OCC considered whether the proposal
                                                 have a significant economic impact on                      • Have the Board and the OCC                         includes a Federal mandate that may
                                                 a substantial number of small entities.                  organized the material to suit your                    result in the expenditure by state, local,
                                                 However, one bank holding company                        needs? If not, how could they present                  and Tribal governments, in the
                                                 covered under the proposal has a state                   the rule more clearly?                                 aggregate, or by the private sector, of
                                                 member bank subsidiary with assets of                      • Are the requirements in the rule                   $100 million or more in any one year
                                                 $550 million or less. The Board does not                 clearly stated? If not, how could the rule             (adjusted for inflation). The OCC has
                                                 expect, however, that this entity would                  be more clearly stated?                                determined that this proposed rule
                                                                                                            • Do the regulations contain technical               would not result in expenditures by
                                                 bear any additional costs as it would
                                                                                                          language or jargon that is not clear? If               state, local, and Tribal governments, or
                                                 rely on its parent banking organization
                                                                                                          so, which language requires                            the private sector, of $100 million or
                                                 for compliance.
                                                                                                          clarification?                                         more in any one year.44 Accordingly,
                                                    Under the proposal, the TLAC rule
                                                                                                            • Would a different format (grouping                 the OCC has not prepared a written
                                                 would continue to apply only to a top-
                                                                                                          and order of sections, use of headings,                statement to accompany this proposal.
                                                 tier bank holding company domiciled in
                                                                                                          paragraphing) make the regulation
                                                 the United States with $50 billion or                                                                           List of Subjects
                                                                                                          easier to understand? If so, what
                                                 more in total consolidated assets and
                                                                                                          changes would achieve that?                            12 CFR Part 6
                                                 that has been identified as a GSIB, and                    • Is this section format adequate? If
                                                 to covered IHCs. Bank holding                            not, which of the sections should be                     Federal Reserve System, Federal
                                                 companies and covered IHCs that are                      changed and how?                                       savings associations, National banks.
                                                 subject to the proposed rule therefore                     • What other changes can the Board
                                                 substantially exceed the $550 million                                                                           12 CFR Part 208
                                                                                                          and the OCC incorporate to make the
                                                 asset threshold at which a banking                       regulation easier to understand?                         Accounting, Agriculture, Banks,
                                                 entity would qualify as a small banking                                                                         banking, Confidential business
                                                 organization. Accordingly, the proposed                  D. Riegle Community Development and                    information, Consumer protection,
                                                 changes to the TLAC rule would not                       Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994                     Crime, Currency, Global systemically
                                                 have a significant economic impact on                      The Riegle Community Development
                                                 a substantial number of small entities.                  and Regulatory Improvement Act of                        43 12 U.S.C. 4802.
                                                    The proposed changes to the eSLR                      1994 (RCDRIA) requires that each                         44 The  OCC estimates that under the proposed
                                                 rule and TLAC rule would not alter                                                                              rule, the minimum amount of required Tier 1
                                                                                                          Federal banking agency, in determining                 capital would decrease by $109 billion for covered
                                                 existing reporting, recordkeeping, and                   the effective date and administrative                  OCC-supervised institutions. The OCC estimates
                                                 other compliance requirements. In                        compliance requirements for new                        that this decrease in required capital—which could
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                                                 addition, the Board is aware of no other                 regulations that impose additional                     allow these banking organizations to increase their
                                                 Federal rules that duplicate, overlap, or                                                                       leverage and thus increase their tax deductions for
                                                                                                          reporting, disclosure, or other                        interest paid on debt—would have a total aggregate
                                                                                                          requirements on IDIs, consider,                        value of approximately $1.7 billion per year across
                                                   39 12 U.S.C. 3907(a)(1).
                                                   40 12
                                                                                                          consistent with principles of safety and               all directly impacted OCC-supervised entities. The
                                                         U.S.C. 1831o(c)(2).                                                                                     OCC recognizes, however, that affected institutions
                                                   41 See, e.g., sections 165 and 171 of the Dodd-
                                                                                                          soundness and the public interest, any
                                                                                                                                                                 have several options regarding how they might
                                                 Frank Act (12 U.S.C. 5365 and 12 U.S.C. 5371).           administrative burdens that such                       adjust to changes in minimum required Tier 1
                                                 Public Law 111–203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).               regulations would place on depository                  capital levels, only one of which is to reduce their
                                                   42 12 U.S.C. 5365.                                     institutions, including small depository               Tier 1 capital levels.



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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                                17325

                                                 important bank, Insurance, Investments,                   (2) 50 percent of the GSIB surcharge                   (1) 3.0 percent; plus
                                                 Mortgages, Reporting and recordkeeping                  calculated in accordance with subpart H                  (2) 50 percent of the GSIB surcharge
                                                 requirements, Securities.                               of Regulation Q (12 CFR part 217,                      calculated in accordance with subpart H
                                                                                                         subpart H) applicable to the global                    of Regulation Q (12 CFR part 217,
                                                 12 CFR Part 217
                                                                                                         systemically important bank holding                    subpart H) applicable to the global
                                                   Administrative practice and                           company that controls the national bank                systemically important BHC that
                                                 procedure, Banks, banking. Holding                      or Federal savings association; and                    controls the bank; and
                                                 companies, Reporting and                                *     *    *     *     *                               *     *     *    *     *
                                                 recordkeeping requirements, Securities.
                                                                                                         Board of Governors of the Federal
                                                 12 CFR Part 252                                         Reserve System                                         PART 217—CAPITAL ADEQUACY OF
                                                                                                                                                                BANK HOLDING COMPANIES,
                                                   Administrative practice and                           12 CFR CHAPTER II                                      SAVINGS AND LOAN HOLDING
                                                 procedure, Banks, banking, Federal                                                                             COMPANIES, AND STATE MEMBER
                                                 Reserve System, Holding companies,                      Authority and Issuance
                                                                                                                                                                BANKS (REGULATION Q)
                                                 Reporting and recordkeeping                               For the reasons set forth in the
                                                 requirements, Securities.                               preamble, The Board of Governors of the                ■ 5. The authority citation for part 217
                                                                                                         Federal Reserve System proposes to                     continues to read as follows:
                                                 Office of the Comptroller of the                        amend chapter II of title 12 of the Code
                                                 Currency                                                of Federal Regulations as follows:                       Authority: 12 U.S.C. 248(a), 321–338a,
                                                                                                                                                                481–486, 1462a, 1467a, 1818, 1828, 1831n,
                                                   For the reasons set out in the joint                                                                         1831o, 1831p–l, 1831w, 1835, 1844(b), 1851,
                                                 preamble, the OCC proposes to amend                     PART 208—MEMBERSHIP OF STATE
                                                                                                                                                                3904, 3906–3909, 4808, 5365, 5368, 5371.
                                                 12 CFR part 6 as follows:                               BANKING INSTITUTIONS IN THE
                                                                                                         FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM                                 ■ 6. Section 217.11, paragraphs (a)(4)(ii)
                                                 PART 6—PROMPT CORRECTIVE                                (REGULATION H)                                         and (a)(4)(iii)(B) and Table 2 to § 217.11
                                                 ACTION                                                  ■ 3. The authority citation for part 208               are revised to read as follows:
                                                 ■ 1. The authority citation for part 6                  continues to read as follows:                          § 217.11 Capital conservation buffer,
                                                 continues to read as follows:                             Authority: 12 U.S.C. 24, 36, 92a, 93a,               countercyclical capital buffer amount, and
                                                                                                         248(a), 248(c), 321–338a, 371d, 461, 481–486,          GSIB surcharge.
                                                   Authority: 12 U.S.C. 93a, 1831o,                      601, 611, 1814, 1816, 1818, 1820(d)(9),
                                                 5412(b)(2)(B).                                                                                                 *       *    *    *     *
                                                                                                         1833(j), 1828(o), 1831, 1831o, 1831p–1,
                                                 ■ 2. Section 6.4 is amended by revising                 1831r–1, 1831w, 1831x, 1835a, 1882, 2901–                 (a) * * *
                                                 paragraph (c)(1)(iv) to read as follows:                2907, 3105, 3310, 3331–3351, 3905–3909,                   (4) * * *
                                                                                                         and 5371; 15 U.S.C. 78b, 78I(b), 78l(i), 780–
                                                                                                         4(c)(5), 78q, 78q–1, and 78w, 1681s, 1681w,               (ii) A Board-regulated institution with
                                                 § 6.4 Capital measures and capital
                                                 category definitions.                                   6801, and 6805; 31 U.S.C. 5318; 42 U.S.C.              a capital conservation buffer that is
                                                                                                         4012a, 4104a, 4104b, 4106 and 4128.                    greater than 2.5 percent plus 100
                                                 *     *     *     *     *                                                                                      percent of its applicable countercyclical
                                                   (c) * * *                                             ■  4. Section 208.43, paragraph (b)(1)(iv)
                                                                                                         is revised to read as follows:                         capital buffer in accordance with
                                                   (1) * * *                                                                                                    paragraph (b) of this section, and 100
                                                   (iv) Leverage Measure:                                § 208.43 Capital measures and capital                  percent of its applicable GSIB surcharge,
                                                   (A) The national bank or Federal                      category definitions.                                  in accordance with paragraph (c) of this
                                                 savings association has a leverage ratio                *      *    *      *    *                              section, and, if applicable, that has a
                                                 of 5.0 percent or greater; and                             (b) * * *                                           leverage buffer that is greater than 50
                                                   (B) With respect to a national bank or                   (1) * * *                                           percent of its applicable GSIB surcharge,
                                                 Federal savings association that is                        (iv) Leverage Measure:                              is not subject to a maximum payout
                                                 controlled by a bank holding company                       (A) The bank has a leverage ratio of                amount under this section.
                                                 designated as a global systemically                     5.0 percent or greater; and
                                                 important bank holding company                             (B) With respect to any bank that is a                 (iii) * * *
                                                 pursuant to subpart H of Regulation Q                   subsidiary of a global systemically                       (B) Capital conservation buffer was
                                                 (12 CFR part 217, subpart H), the                       important BHC under the definition of                  less than 2.5 percent, or, if applicable,
                                                 national bank or Federal savings                        ‘‘subsidiary’’ in section 217.2 of                     leverage buffer was less than 50 percent
                                                 association has a supplementary                         Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2), the bank                  of its applicable GSIB surcharge, as of
                                                 leverage ratio greater than or equal to:                has a supplementary leverage ratio                     the end of the previous calendar quarter.
                                                   (1) 3.0 percent; plus                                 greater than or equal to:                              *       *    *    *     *

                                                                              TABLE 2 TO § 217.11: CALCULATION OF MAXIMUM LEVERAGE PAYOUT AMOUNT
                                                                                                                                                                                Maximum leverage payout ratio
                                                                                                                                                                                 (as a percentage of eligible
                                                                                                      Leverage buffer                                                                 retained income)
                                                                                                                                                                                          (percent)

                                                 Greater than 50 percent of the Board-regulated institution’s applicable GSIB surcharge ................................   No payout ratio limitation applies.
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                                                 Less than or equal to 50 percent of the Board-regulated institution’s applicable GSIB surcharge, and great-               60.
                                                   er than 37.5 percent of the Board-regulated institution’s applicable GSIB surcharge.
                                                 Less than or equal to 37.5 percent of the Board-regulated institution’s applicable GSIB surcharge, and                    40.
                                                   greater than 25 percent of the Board-regulated institution’s applicable GSIB surcharge.
                                                 Less than or equal to 25 percent of the Board-regulated institution’s applicable GSIB surcharge, and great-               20.
                                                   er than 12.5 percent of the Board-regulated institution’s applicable GSIB surcharge.
                                                 Less than or equal to 12.5 percent of the Board-regulated institution’s applicable GSIB surcharge ...............         0.




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                                                 17326                     Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules

                                                 *      *      *       *      *                           multiplied by the sum of 2.5 percent                    the global systemically important BHC’s
                                                                                                          plus 50 percent of the global                           applicable GSIB surcharge, in
                                                 PART 252—ENHANCED PRUDENTIAL                             systemically important BHC’s                            accordance with paragraph (c)(5) of this
                                                 STANDARDS (REGULATION YY)                                applicable GSIB surcharge (expressed as                 section, is not subject to a maximum
                                                 ■ 7. The authority citation for part 252                 a percentage).                                          external TLAC risk-weighted payout
                                                 continues to read as follows:                            *     *      *      *       *                           amount or a maximum external TLAC
                                                                                                          ■ 10. In § 252.63, revise paragraphs                    leverage payout amount.
                                                   Authority: 12 U.S.C. 321–338a, 481–486,
                                                 1467a, 1818, 1828, 1831n, 1831o, 1831p–l,                (c)(3)(i)(C), (c)(4)(ii), (c)(4)(iii)(B), and             (iii) * * *
                                                 1831w, 1835, 1844(b), 1844(c), 3101 et seq.,             (c)(5)(iii)(A)(2), and Table 2 to § 252.63
                                                                                                                                                                    (B) External TLAC risk-weighted
                                                 3101 note, 3904, 3906–3909, 4808, 5361,                  to read as follows:
                                                 5362, 5365, 5366, 5367, 5368, 5371.
                                                                                                                                                                  buffer level was less than the external
                                                                                                          § 252.63 External total loss-absorbing                  TLAC risk-weighted buffer as of the end
                                                 ■ 8. In § 252.61:                                        capacity requirement and buffer.                        of the previous calendar quarter or
                                                 ■ a. Remove the definition ‘‘External                                                                            external TLAC leverage buffer level was
                                                                                                          *      *     *    *     *
                                                 TLAC buffer’’;                                             (c) * * *                                             less than 50 percent of the global
                                                 ■ b. Add the definition ‘‘External TLAC
                                                                                                            (3) * * *                                             systemically important BHC’s
                                                 risk-weighted buffer’’ in alphabetical                     (i) * * *                                             applicable GSIB surcharge as of the end
                                                 order to read as follows:                                  (C) The ratio (expressed as a                         of the previous calendar quarter.
                                                 § 252.61    Definitions.                                 percentage) of the global systemically                  *      *    *     *     *
                                                                                                          important BHC’s outstanding eligible
                                                 *     *     *      *    *                                                                                          (5) * * *
                                                   External TLAC risk-weighted buffer                     external long-term debt amount plus 50
                                                 means, with respect to a global                          percent of the amount of unpaid                           (iii) * * *
                                                 systemically important BHC, the sum of                   principal of outstanding eligible debt                    (A) * * *
                                                 2.5 percent, any applicable                              securities issued by the global
                                                                                                          systemically important BHC due to be                      (2) The ratio (expressed as a
                                                 countercyclical capital buffer under 12                                                                          percentage) of the global systemically
                                                 CFR 217.11(b) (expressed as a                            paid in, as calculated in § 252.62(b)(2),
                                                                                                          greater than or equal to 365 days (one                  important BHC’s outstanding eligible
                                                 percentage), and the global systemically                                                                         external long-term debt amount plus 50
                                                 important BHC’s method 1 capital                         year) but less than 730 days (two years)
                                                                                                          to total risk-weighted assets.                          percent of the amount of unpaid
                                                 surcharge.                                                                                                       principal of outstanding eligible debt
                                                 *     *     *      *    *                                *      *     *    *     *
                                                                                                            (4) * * *                                             securities issued by the global
                                                 ■ 9. In § 252.62, revise paragraph (a)(2)                                                                        systemically important BHC due to be
                                                 to read as follows:                                        (i) * * *
                                                                                                            (ii) A global systemically important                  paid in in, as calculated in
                                                 § 252.62 External long-term debt                         BHC with an external TLAC risk-                         § 252.62(b)(2), greater than or equal to
                                                 requirement.                                             weighted buffer level that is greater than              365 days (one year) but less than 730
                                                  (a) * * *                                               the external TLAC risk-weighted buffer                  days (two years) to total leverage
                                                  (2) The global systemically important                   and an external TLAC leverage buffer                    exposure.
                                                 BHC’s total leverage exposure                            level that is greater than 50 percent of                *      *    *     *     *

                                                                   TABLE 2 TO § 252.63—CALCULATION OF MAXIMUM EXTERNAL TLAC LEVERAGE PAYOUT AMOUNT
                                                                                                                                                                              Maximum external TLAC leverage
                                                                                                                                                                               payout ratio (as a percentage of
                                                                                           External TLAC leverage buffer level                                                    eligible retained income)
                                                                                                                                                                                           (percent)

                                                 Greater than 50 percent of the global systemically important BHC’s applicable GSIB surcharge ...................            No payout ratio limitation applies.
                                                 Less than or equal to 50 percent of the global systemically important BHC’s applicable GSIB surcharge,                      60.
                                                   and greater than 37.5 percent of the global systemically important BHC’s applicable GSIB surcharge.
                                                 Less than or equal to 37.5 percent of the global systemically important BHC’s applicable GSIB surcharge,                    40.
                                                   and greater than 25 percent of the global systemically important BHC’s applicable GSIB surcharge.
                                                 Less than or equal to 25 percent of the global systemically important BHC’s applicable GSIB surcharge,                      20.
                                                   and greater than 12.5 percent of the global systemically important BHC’s applicable GSIB surcharge.
                                                 Less than or equal to 12.5 percent of global systemically important BHC’s applicable GSIB surcharge ........                0.



                                                 ■ 11. In § 252.160, revise paragraph                       (ii) The foreign banking organization                    (1) A Covered IHC’s outstanding
                                                 (b)(2) to read as follows:                               that controls the Covered IHC became a                  eligible Covered IHC long-term debt
                                                                                                          global systemically important foreign                   amount is the sum of:
                                                 § 252.160    Applicability.
                                                                                                          banking organization                                       (i) One hundred (100) percent of the
                                                 *      *     *    *    *                                 *      *     *     *    *                               amount due to be paid of unpaid
                                                    (b) * * *                                                                                                     principal of the outstanding eligible
                                                                                                          ■ 12. In § 252.162, revise paragraph
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                                                                                                                                                                  Covered IHC debt securities issued by
                                                    (2) 1095 days (three years) after the                 (b)(1) to read as follows:                              the Covered IHC in greater than or equal
                                                 later of the date on which:
                                                                                                          § 252.162 Covered IHC long-term debt                    to 730 days (two years); and
                                                    (i) The U.S. non-branch assets of the                 requirement.                                               (ii) Fifty (50) percent of the amount
                                                 global systemically important foreign                                                                            due to be paid of unpaid principal of the
                                                 banking organization that controls the                   *         *    *       *      *
                                                                                                                                                                  outstanding eligible Covered IHC debt
                                                 Covered IHC equaled or exceeded $50                            (b) * * *                                         securities issued by the Covered IHC in
                                                 billion; and                                                                                                     greater than or equal to 365 days (one


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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 76 / Thursday, April 19, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                             17327

                                                 year) and less than 730 days (two years);               Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/                     safety of aircraft and the efficient use of
                                                 and                                                     DME) navigation aid (NAVAID), which                    airspace. This regulation is within the
                                                   (iii) Zero (0) percent of the amount                  provides navigation guidance for                       scope of that authority as it would
                                                 due to be paid of unpaid principal of the               portions of the affected ATS routes. The               amend the route structure in the
                                                 outstanding eligible Covered IHC debt                   Chicago O’Hare VOR/DME is being                        Chicago, IL, area as necessary to
                                                 securities issued by the Covered IHC in                 decommissioned to facilitate the                       preserve the safe and efficient flow of
                                                 less than 365 days (one year).                          construction of a new runway at                        air traffic within the National Airspace
                                                 *      *     *     *     *                              Chicago O’Hare International Airport.                  System.
                                                 ■ 13. In § 252.165, revise paragraph                    DATES: Comments must be received on                    Comments Invited
                                                 (d)(3)(i)(C) to read as follows:                        or before June 4, 2018.
                                                                                                                                                                  Interested parties are invited to
                                                                                                         ADDRESSES: Send comments on this
                                                 § 252.165 Covered IHC total loss-                                                                              participate in this proposed rulemaking
                                                                                                         proposal to the U.S. Department of
                                                 absorbing capacity requirement and buffer.                                                                     by submitting such written data, views,
                                                                                                         Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200
                                                 *     *     *     *    *                                                                                       or arguments as they may desire.
                                                                                                         New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building
                                                   (d) * * *                                                                                                    Comments that provide the factual basis
                                                                                                         Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
                                                   (3) * * *                                                                                                    supporting the views and suggestions
                                                                                                         Washington, DC 20590; telephone:
                                                   (i) * * *                                                                                                    presented are particularly helpful in
                                                                                                         1(800) 647–5527, or (202) 366–9826.
                                                   (C) The ratio (expressed as a                                                                                developing reasoned regulatory
                                                                                                         You must identify FAA Docket No.
                                                 percentage) of the Covered IHC’s                                                                               decisions on the proposal. Comments
                                                                                                         FAA–2018–0230; Airspace Docket No.
                                                 outstanding eligible Covered IHC long-                                                                         are specifically invited on the overall
                                                                                                         17–AGL–26 at the beginning of your
                                                 term debt amount plus 50 percent of the                                                                        regulatory, aeronautical, economic,
                                                                                                         comments. You may also submit
                                                 amount of unpaid principal of                                                                                  environmental, and energy-related
                                                                                                         comments through the internet at http://
                                                 outstanding eligible Covered IHC debt                                                                          aspects of the proposal.
                                                                                                         www.regulations.gov.                                     Communications should identify both
                                                 securities issued by the Covered IHC                       FAA Order 7400.11B, Airspace
                                                 due to be paid in, as calculated in                                                                            docket numbers (FAA Docket No. FAA–
                                                                                                         Designations and Reporting Points, and
                                                 § 252.162(b)(2), greater than or equal to                                                                      2018–0230; Airspace Docket No. 17–
                                                                                                         subsequent amendments can be viewed
                                                 365 days (one year) but less than 730                                                                          AGL–26) and be submitted in triplicate
                                                                                                         online at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/
                                                 days (two years) to total risk-weighted                                                                        to the Docket Management Facility (see
                                                                                                         publications/. For further information,
                                                 assets.                                                                                                        ADDRESSES section for address and
                                                                                                         you can contact the Airspace Policy
                                                                                                                                                                phone number). You may also submit
                                                 *     *     *     *    *                                Group, Federal Aviation
                                                                                                                                                                comments through the internet at http://
                                                   Dated: April 2, 2018.                                 Administration, 800 Independence
                                                                                                                                                                www.regulations.gov.
                                                 Joseph M. Otting,                                       Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591;                         Commenters wishing the FAA to
                                                 Comptroller of the Currency.
                                                                                                         telephone: (202) 267–8783. The Order is                acknowledge receipt of their comments
                                                                                                         also available for inspection at the                   on this action must submit with those
                                                   By order of the Board of Governors of the
                                                 Federal Reserve System, April 11, 2018.
                                                                                                         National Archives and Records                          comments a self-addressed, stamped
                                                                                                         Administration (NARA). For                             postcard on which the following
                                                 Ann E. Misback,
                                                                                                         information on the availability of FAA                 statement is made: ‘‘Comments to FAA
                                                 Secretary of the Board.                                 Order 7400.11B at NARA, call (202)
                                                 [FR Doc. 2018–08066 Filed 4–18–18; 8:45 am]                                                                    Docket No. FAA–2018–0230; Airspace
                                                                                                         741–6030, or go to https://                            Docket No. 17–AGL–26.’’ The postcard
                                                 BILLING CODE 6210–01–P 4810–33–P                        www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/                 will be date/time stamped and returned
                                                                                                         ibr-locations.html.                                    to the commenter.
                                                                                                            FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace                           All communications received on or
                                                 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION                            Designations and Reporting Points, is                  before the specified comment closing
                                                                                                         published yearly and effective on                      date will be considered before taking
                                                 Federal Aviation Administration                         September 15.                                          action on the proposed rule. The
                                                                                                         FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                       proposal contained in this action may
                                                 14 CFR Part 71                                          Colby Abbott, Airspace Policy Group,                   be changed in light of comments
                                                 [Docket No. FAA–2018–0230; Airspace                     Office of Airspace Services, Federal                   received. All comments submitted will
                                                 Docket No. 17–AGL–26]                                   Aviation Administration, 800                           be available for examination in the
                                                                                                         Independence Avenue SW, Washington,                    public docket both before and after the
                                                 RIN 2120–AA66                                           DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267–8783.                   comment closing date. A report
                                                 Proposed Amendment of Air Traffic                       SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                             summarizing each substantive public
                                                 Service (ATS) Routes in the Vicinity of                 Authority for This Rulemaking                          contact with FAA personnel concerned
                                                 Chicago, IL                                                                                                    with this rulemaking will be filed in the
                                                                                                           The FAA’s authority to issue rules                   docket.
                                                 AGENCY: Federal Aviation                                regarding aviation safety is found in
                                                 Administration (FAA), DOT.                              Title 49 of the United States Code.                    Availability of NPRMs
                                                 ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking                   Subtitle I, Section 106 describes the                    An electronic copy of this document
                                                 (NPRM).                                                 authority of the FAA Administrator.                    may be downloaded through the
                                                                                                         Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs,                       internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
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                                                 SUMMARY:   This action proposes to                      describes in more detail the scope of the              Recently published rulemaking
                                                 modify two VHF Omnidirectional Range                    agency’s authority. This rulemaking is                 documents can also be accessed through
                                                 (VOR) Federal airways (V–217 and V–                     promulgated under the authority                        the FAA’s web page at http://
                                                 228) in the vicinity of the Chicago                     described in Subtitle VII, Part A,                     www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/
                                                 O’Hare International Airport, IL. The                   Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that                   airspace_amendments/.
                                                 FAA is proposing this action due to the                 section, the FAA is charged with                         You may review the public docket
                                                 planned decommissioning of the                          prescribing regulations to assign the use              containing the proposal, any comments
                                                 Chicago O’Hare, IL (ORD), VOR/                          of the airspace necessary to ensure the                received and any final disposition in


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Document Created: 2018-04-19 00:41:21
Document Modified: 2018-04-19 00:41:21
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionJoint notice of proposed rulemaking.
DatesComments must be received by May 21, 2018.
ContactOCC: Venus Fan, Risk Expert (202) 649-6514, Capital and Regulatory Policy; or Carl Kaminski, Special Counsel; Allison Hester-Haddad, Counsel, or Christopher Rafferty, Attorney, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, (202) 649-5490 or, for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired, TTY, (202) 649-5597, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20219.
FR Citation83 FR 17317 
RIN Number1557-AE35 and 7100 AF03
CFR Citation12 CFR 208
12 CFR 217
12 CFR 252
12 CFR 6
CFR AssociatedAccounting; Agriculture; Banks; Banking; Confidential Business Information; Consumer Protection; Crime; Currency; Global Systemically Important Bank; Insurance; Investments; Mortgages; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements; Securities; Administrative Practice and Procedure; Holding Companies; Federal Reserve System; Federal Savings Associations and National Banks

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