The letter, which was sent to bank regulators, represents a further escalation of lawmaker criticism of the Basel III endgame proposal, and comes just as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is set to testify in the House Financial Services Committee.

Rep. Maxine Waters, ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, led the letter, spurred by the recent merger announcement between Capital One and Discover, which the letter said would enable the merged company "to influence multiple points of the marketplace."

Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr said in a speech Tuesday that banks might need to establish margin to counteract counterparty risks presented by private funds.

The lawmakers, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the deal would further anti-consumer bank consolidation, but also criticized the OCC's proposed changes to the merger process, asking that they be strengthened.

The blockbuster merger proposal will be reviewed at a time when the Biden administration is expressing skepticism about consolidation. Its analysis will have to account for markets dominated by both big banks and the likes of Visa and Mastercard.

A clash over pay playing out in contract negotiations between the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its employee union occur as the Supreme Court is considering whether the agency must get its funding from Congress.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell suggested that a rate cut is coming, but cast doubt about whether the central bank would see enough data suggesting inflation is sufficiently tamed for interest rates to come down at their next meeting.

Bank regulators Friday said the existing laws governing safety and soundness and fair lending are adequate to address risks posed by artificial intelligence, noting that while AI may be used to inform lending decisions, banks are ultimately responsible for compliance.

A group of Democratic lawmakers have written to federal regulators asking them to reconsider potential chilling effects on clean energy financing in the Basel III endgame proposal.

Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr said feedback received will be incorporated into the final version of the capital reform rule.

The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and former manager of the central bank's open market account said a slower approach to balance sheet reduction may be warranted sooner rather than later.

Federal Reserve officials point to overnight reverse repurchase agreement activity as an indication of excess liquidity, which the central bank is working to reduce. But some analysts say that excess liquidity may be drying up faster than expected, with important implications for banks.

James Gorman, chair and CEO of Morgan Stanley, expressed optimism in an interview Wednesday that the proposed Basel III endgame capital proposal would "definitely change" before it is finalized.

While much of the attention in next year's election is on the top of the ticket, there are several other important races in 2024 that banks need to keep on their radar.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will take a bite out of bank profits in 2024 by issuing final rules on overdraft and credit card late fees, among other major rulemakings.

Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and John Kennedy, R-La., have reintroduced their ILC bill that would subject companies that hold an ILC charter to similar oversight as traditional banks, while measures to cap interest rates and ban 'trigger leads' have also been introduced.

A near-final framework released this week would increase capital requirements for England's largest banks by 3.2%, far less than the uptick proposed for U.S. and European banks.

While mortgage assumptions are on the rise, so too are complaints leveled against mortgage servicers for how they handle the loans. A common refrain is that the companies are moving too slowly.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Monday it has hired Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton to conduct an independent review of its workplace culture amid allegations of rampant sexual harassment in the workplace.

A provision to standardize and clarify banks' operational risk obligations — which opponents say is excessively costly and may not be effective — is emerging as the focal point of the public debate on the broader rule. It may also be the key to taking the rule over the finish line.