The Community Bank Deposit Access Act of 2025 allows smaller banks (those with less than $10 billion in assets) to accept certain types of deposits, known as custodial deposits, without them being classified as brokered deposits. This means these banks can avoid stricter oversight as long as the custodial deposits are less than 20% of their total liabilities, and they meet specific capital and soundness requirements. The bill also applies existing interest rate limits to these banks if they are not well-capitalized.
Supporters of the Community Bank Deposit Access Act of 2025 have praised it for promoting financial stability and encouraging more deposits in community banks. They argue that by easing the regulatory burden on smaller institutions, the bill will help them compete with larger banks and ultimately benefit consumers through better interest rates and services.
Critics of the Community Bank Deposit Access Act of 2025 have raised concerns that loosening regulations on custodial deposits could lead to increased risk in the banking sector. They worry that by allowing more flexibility in deposit classifications, the bill might encourage risky behaviors among smaller banks, potentially jeopardizing depositor funds and the overall stability of the financial system.
The analysis of H.R. 5317, the Community Bank Deposit Access Act of 2025, shows no direct industry overlaps between the sponsor J. Hill's top donor industries and the bill's subject matter. This indicates a lower likelihood of conflicts of interest arising from financial contributions. Additionally, while there is lobbying activity in the bill's policy area, the disclosed amounts from specific entities, such as DIRSHU INTERNATIONAL contributing $100,000, do not directly correlate with the bill's focus on community bank deposit access. The remaining lobbying activities are undisclosed, which limits the ability to assess their influence. Overall, the absence of direct industry ties and the limited financial connections suggest that the risk of conflicts of interest is low.
Organizations that lobbied on issues related to this bill's policy area.
| Client | Lobbying Firm | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DIRSHU INTERNATIONAL | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | $100,000 |
| CEO WORKS | SAUNDERS GLOBAL DIPLOMACY | $45,000 |
| KAZI IG | SAUNDERS GLOBAL DIPLOMACY | $15,000 |
| SOUTHERN FOLGER CONTRACTING | BBT STRATEGIES LLC | $10,000 |
| WATERFRONT GLOBAL | BBT STRATEGIES LLC | $5,200 |
| DIGITALEUROPE | VIVID STRATEGIES LLC | undisclosed |
| INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | undisclosed |
| DR. STEPHEN SOLOWAY | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | undisclosed |
| ONE ISRAEL FUND | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | undisclosed |
| HEMOGLOBIN OXYGEN THERAPEUTICS | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | undisclosed |
| ATAOLLAH AMINPOUR | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | undisclosed |
| HERSEL NEMAN | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | undisclosed |
| MORAD BEN NEMAN | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | undisclosed |
| MARK SCOTT | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | undisclosed |
| BORIS MINTS | MERKAVA STRATEGIES CORPORATION | undisclosed |
Source: Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings, 2026
Source: GovTrack.us roll call vote data.
