Groups Press Senate on Anti-Debanking Bills
American Commitment urges lawmakers to pass legislation barring banks from using reputation risk against customers during the lame-duck session.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Financial Services
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Advocacy group American Commitment is pressing the Senate to pass anti-debanking bills that would ban reputation risk as a basis for account decisions. The push follows a Comptroller of the Currency review finding that all nine of the largest national banks used reputation risk policies lacking clear, objective standards.
Why it matters
Advocates argue the ban is needed to stop regulators from using reputation risk against politically disfavored customers. The debate reflects a broader fight over how banks can close accounts and who sets the standards.
The Comptroller of the Currency examined about 100,000 complaints and nearly 420,000 pages of documents across the nine largest national banks it supervises. A $5 billion lawsuit filed by Mr. Trump and family-owned companies against JPMorgan Chase remains pending, and the bank's response was not included in the extraction.
The players
American Commitment
A 501(c)(4) advocacy organization pressing Congress to pass legislation banning the use of reputation risk in banking decisions.
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
The federal bureau that supervises national banks and conducted the review finding all nine largest banks used reputation risk policies lacking objective standards.
JPMorgan Chase
The large national bank named as defendant in a $5 billion lawsuit filed by Mr. Trump and family-owned companies alleging political discrimination.
The details
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency found that all nine reviewed banks relied on reputation risk policies without clear, objective standards. Separately, Mr. Trump and family-owned companies have sued JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon for $5 billion, alleging political discrimination and account closures following the January 6, 2021 Capitol breach.
Timeline
January 6, 2021: Capitol breach preceding the alleged account closures.
Past two years: Lawmakers uncovered FDIC direction to restrict U.S. dollar deposits for crypto firms.
Last month: The OCC review found large banks allowed political concerns to sway decisions.
Lame-duck session: Window for the Senate to act on anti-debanking legislation.
June 2027: Proposed IRS rule revoking tax-exempt status from private schools would take effect.
Market Landscape
The push to limit reputation risk builds on a multi-year fight over how federal regulators shape which customers banks serve. The OCC's review of the nine largest national banks now gives lawmakers a documented basis for legislating against the practice.
If the bills pass, banks would be barred from closing or limiting accounts based on reputation risk, which could affect customers whose accounts are restricted for political or other reasons. The outcome would shape how easily individuals and businesses can keep access to banking services.
The takeaway
The fight over reputation risk shows how bank account decisions are becoming a central policy question. Readers should watch the Senate's lame-duck agenda for any movement on the anti-debanking bills.
What happens next
The Senate's lame-duck session is the window in which lawmakers could take up the anti-debanking bills, and the proposed IRS private school rule is slated to take effect in June 2027.
Further reading
For more on the regulatory fight over bank account decisions, see Financial Services coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Washington Times.
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