H.R. 6955
Main Street Capital Access Act
Sponsor: J. French Hill · 33 cosponsors
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Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Main Street Capital Access Act or the Main Street Act
This bill lessens and otherwise modifies banking regulations, including those regarding institution formation, supervision by federal financial regulators, and bank merger requirements.
Under the bill, new banks have a three-year phase-in period to meet certain capital requirements. The bill also reduces the leverage ratio for certain rural community banks.
Financial regulators must (1) tailor regulatory actions to limit burdens on financial institutions and must consider the institutions' risk profiles and business models, and (2) review their regulations more frequently and expand the scope of these reviews.
The bill eases requirements regarding bank mergers, for example, by allowing financial regulators to approve certain bank mergers without considering if the merger is noncompetitive or monopolistic.
The bill increases the dollar asset thresholds for various fees, reporting requirements, and other regulatory requirements so that more financial companies and banks are exempt from these requirements. For example, the bill increases the total asset threshold above which financial holding companies need Federal Reserve Board approval to acquire a company, thereby allowing for more acquisitions without board approval. The bill also raises certain asset thresholds so as to allow additional small bank holding companies to operate with higher debt levels and additional small banks to qualify for a longer examination cycle.
The bill also provides flexibilities regarding the use of reciprocal deposits, the resolution of failed banks, and other regulated activities.
Text of the bill
I New Bank Formation and Local Community Access
II Tailoring Bank Regulation
III Fair and Transparent Bank Supervision
Where this section came from
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Jan 7, 2026 · Introduced in House Referred to House Committee on Financial Services, Jan 7
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Apr 20, 2026 · Reported in House Marked up by House Committee on Financial Services, Mar 4 Reported by House Committee on Financial Services, Apr 20 Committee members' individual votes aren't in our records.
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Jul 21, 2026 · Engrossed in House H.Amdt. 241: Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1438, in lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Financial Services now printed in the bill, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 119-35 is considered as adopted. Official page › H.Res. 1438: On Ordering the Previous Question — Passed, 213–209 · Roll Call 253 H.Res. 1438: On Agreeing to the Resolution — Passed, 214–211 · Roll Call 254 On Motion to Recommit — Failed, 210–216 · Roll Call 270On Passage — Passed, 270–155 · Roll Call 271
… 12 unchanged passages …
(3)
either— (A) eliminate the management component of the CAMELS rating system; or (B)
revise the management component of the CAMELS
rating
components
system
to limit the assessment under such component to articulable, clear, and reviewable measures of
the
an
governance
institution’s
and
management
controls
in
used
relation
to
manage
its
an institution’s
risk profile;
… 12 unchanged passages …
(2) Well managed definition.
(A) Bank Holding Company Act of 1956.
Section 2(o)(9)(A) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841(o)(9)(A)) is amended— (
A
i
) by striking achievement of and all that follows through a CAMEL and inserting achievement of a CAMEL; (
B
ii
) by striking ; and and inserting ; or; and (
iii) by striking clause (ii). (B) Revised Statutes of the United States. Section 5136A(g)(6)(A) of the Revised Statutes of the United States (12 U.S.
C
. 24a(g)(6)(A)) is amended— (i
) by striking
agency— and all that follows through the achievement and inserting agency, the achievement; (ii) by striking ; and and inserting ; or; and (iii) by striking
clause (ii).
What does "considered adopted" mean?
When a chamber approves a rule that says a change is "considered adopted", the change becomes part of the bill as soon as the rule passes, without a separate vote on the change itself.
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A markup is a committee meeting where members go through a bill and vote on changes before sending it to the full chamber.
(a) Findings. Congress finds that—
(1) CAMELS ratings (Capital adequacy, Asset quality, Management, Earnings, Liquidity, and Sensitivity to market risk) are a critical tool for evaluating the safety and soundness of financial institutions, and the basis for determining significant regulatory matters such as the evaluation for mergers and acquisitions and a bank’s deposit insurance premiums;
(2) the CAMELS rating system relies heavily on examiner judgment, which can lead to subjective and inconsistent ratings across similar institutions;
(3) establishing articulable, clear, and reviewable measures for each CAMELS component and their relative weighting in determining composite ratings will promote fairness, consistency, and accountability in supervisory assessments; and
(4) examination and supervision, as well as the CAMELS rating system, should focus on a financial institution’s material financial condition or solvency.
(b) Amendments to the CAMELS Rating System
(1) In general. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council Act of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
1012. Amendments to the CAMELS Rating System
(a) In general. The Council shall make recommendations to amend the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System, and the CAMELS components thereunder, to—
(1) establish articulable, clear, and reviewable criteria for assessing each CAMELS component;
(2) revise the factors affecting each CAMELS component to derive a composite rating that more accurately reflects the material financial condition and risk profile of the financial institutions being rated;
(3) revise the management component of the CAMELS components to limit the assessment under such component to articulable, clear, and reviewable measures of an institution’s management in relation to its risk profile;
(4) ensure that composite ratings consider the financial institution’s compliance with—
(A) section 21 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1829b);
(B) chapter 2 of title I of Public Law 91–508 (12 U.S.C. 1951 et seq.);
(C) subchapter II of chapter 53 of title 31, United States Code; and
(D) any other applicable requirements and implementing regulations relating to the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing; and
(5) ensure that composite ratings are determined based on a transparent methodology that is limited to the objective criteria established for each CAMELS component.
(b) Rulemaking. Not later than 12 months after the Council makes the recommendations required under subsection (a), the Federal financial institutions regulatory agencies shall, jointly, issue rules to carry out the recommendations described under subsection (a).
(c) Public comment period. In issuing the rules required under subsection (b), the Federal financial institutions regulatory agencies shall—
(1) publish a notice of proposed rulemaking with respect to such rules; and
(2) provide for a public comment period of not less than 90 days.
(d) Rule of construction. Nothing in this section may be construed to limit the authority of the Federal financial institutions regulatory agencies to take supervisory, adjudicatory, or enforcement actions to ensure the safety and soundness of financial institutions.
(2) Well managed definition
(A) Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. Section 2(o)(9)(A) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841(o)(9)(A)) is amended—
(i) by striking achievement of and all that follows through a CAMEL and inserting achievement of a CAMEL;
(ii) by striking ; and and inserting ; or; and
(iii) by striking clause (ii).
(B) Revised Statutes of the United States. Section 5136A(g)(6)(A) of the Revised Statutes of the United States (12 U.S.C. 24a(g)(6)(A)) is amended—
(i) by striking agency— and all that follows through the achievement and inserting agency, the achievement;
(ii) by striking ; and and inserting ; or; and
(iii) by striking clause (ii).
IV Regulatory Accountability and Transparency
V Strengthening Local Bank Funding
VI Promoting Bank Competition and Merger Clarity
VII Strengthening Transparency and Involvement in Bank Resolutions
VIII Facilitating Innovation and Bank Partnerships