Bills · 119th Congress · Finance and Financial Sector

American Access to Banking Act

Where it stands

  1. Introduced7/17/25
  2. Passed HousePassed 5/20/26
  3. Senate
  4. President
  5. Law

Passed the House 405–4 on May 20, 2026 (Roll Call 178 →). Received in the Senate on May 21, 2026. No Senate action since.

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Roll calls on this bill

Votes on passage
HouseOn Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · 5/20/26Suspension of the rulesA fast-track House procedure, usually for measures expected to have broad support. Debate is limited to 40 minutes, no amendments can be offered, and it needs a two-thirds vote of members voting — not a simple majority. A yes vote passes the bill. “As amended” means changes written into the motion itself are included.Rules of the House, Rule XV, clause 1 ↗
Passed
  • Democratic205 Yea · 0 Nay · 7 Not voting
  • Republican199 Yea · 4 Nay · 14 Not voting
  • Independent / Other1 Yea · 0 Nay · 0 Not voting
Official summary (CRS)

American Access to Banking Act

This bill requires federal financial regulators to review and streamline the application process for the formation of de novo, or new, depository institutions or credit unions.

Regulators must (1) review the application process; (2) to the extent practicable, collect necessary information from other agencies in order to minimize requests for applicant information; and (3) review how de novo financial intuitions raise capital while maintaining investor protections, including the impact of restrictions on raising capital.

Full text on congress.gov ↗
Sponsor
Rep. Maxine Waters ( Democrat · CA-43)
Cosponsors
0
Introduced
7/17/25
Policy area
Finance and Financial Sector

What happens next

The Senate must pass the same text, then it goes to the President.

If it isn't enacted by Jan 3, 2027, it expires when the 119th Congress ends.

All actions (16)
  1. 7/17/25Introduced in House
  2. 7/17/25Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
  3. 7/22/25Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  4. 7/23/25Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  5. 7/23/25Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 49 - 0.
  6. 9/8/25Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 119-253.
  7. 9/8/25Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 210.
  8. 5/19/26Mr. Hill (AR) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  9. 5/19/26Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3584-3586; text: CR H3584-3585)
  10. 5/19/26DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4544.
  11. 5/19/26At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  12. 5/20/26Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3645)
  13. 5/20/26Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 405 - 4 (Roll no. 178).
  14. 5/20/26On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 405 - 4 (Roll no. 178).
  15. 5/20/26Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  16. 5/21/26Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.