OCC Bank Merger Act Rule — Congressional Review Act Disapproval
Current understanding
A House rule (H.Res.) waives points of order to allow floor consideration of S.J. Res. 13, a Congressional Review Act joint resolution to nullify the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s rule on the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act. If enacted, the disapproval would void the OCC’s revised merger application review framework and bar the agency from reissuing a substantially similar rule without new statutory authority. Status: procedural resolution reported; underlying S.J. Res. 13 pending floor consideration.
Evidence log
- 2025-04-10 — Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the Department of the Treasury relating to the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act.: H.J.Res. 92 introduced as an additional CRA disapproval vehicle targeting the OCC Bank Merger Act application-review rule, paralleling the Senate joint resolution enacted as Public Law 119-19. (novelty: 2)
- 2025-06-20 — A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the Department of the Treasury relating to the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act.: cross-connection with bank-merger-act-application-review: The CRA disapproval (Pub. L. 119-19) is the enacted mechanism nullifying the 2024 OCC rule change tracked on the procedural review page. (novelty: 3)
- 2025-05-20 — Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 13) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the Department of the Treasury relating to the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 31) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “Review of Final Rule Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act”; and waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules.: cross-connection with clean-mergers-act: Both target the standards and process for reviewing bank merger applications — the CRA disapproval would rescind the OCC’s revised review rule, while the CLEAN Mergers Act would legislatively tighten merger review; they represent alternative pathways to reshape merger oversight. (novelty: 2)