Prohibition against Federal Government bailouts of swaps entities
15 U.S.C. § 8305
in effect(a) Prohibition on Federal assistanceNotwithstanding any other provision of law (including regulations), no Federal assistance may be provided to any swaps entity with respect to any swap, security-based swap, or other activity of the swaps entity.
(b) DefinitionsIn this section:(1) Federal assistanceThe term “Federal assistance” means the use of any advances from any Federal Reserve credit facility or discount window that is not part of a program or facility with broad-based eligibility under section 343(3)(A) of title 12, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance or guarantees for the purpose of—(A) making any loan to, or purchasing any stock, equity interest, or debt obligation of, any swaps entity; (B) purchasing the assets of any swaps entity; (C) guaranteeing any loan or debt issuance of any swaps entity; or (D) entering into any assistance arrangement (including tax breaks), loss sharing, or profit sharing with any swaps entity. (2) Swaps entity(A) In generalThe term “swaps entity” means any swap dealer, security-based swap dealer, major swap participant, major security-based swap participant, that is registered under—(i) the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); or (ii) the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.). (B) ExclusionThe term “swaps entity” does not include any major swap participant or major security-based swap participant that is an 11 So in original. Probably should be “a”. covered depository institution. (3) Covered depository institution The term “covered depository institution” means— (A) an insured depository institution, as that term is defined in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813); and (B) a United States uninsured branch or agency of a foreign bank.
(c) Affiliates of covered depository institutionsThe prohibition on Federal assistance contained in subsection (a) does not apply to and shall not prevent a covered depository institution from having or establishing an affiliate which is a swaps entity, as long as such covered depository institution is part of a bank holding company, savings and loan holding company, or foreign banking organization (as such term is defined under Regulation K of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (12 CFR 211.21(o))), that is supervised by the Federal Reserve and such swaps entity affiliate complies with sections 371c and 371c–1 of title 12 and such other requirements as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or the Securities Exchange Commission, as appropriate, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, may determine to be necessary and appropriate.
(d) Only bona fide hedging and traditional bank activities permitted(1) In generalThe prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply to any covered depository institution that limits its swap and security-based swap activities to the following:(A) Hedging and other similar risk mitigation activitiesHedging and other similar risk mitigating activities directly related to the covered depository institution’s activities. (B) Non-structured finance swap activitiesActing as a swaps entity for swaps or security-based swaps other than a structured finance swap. (C) Certain structured finance swap activitiesActing as a swaps entity for swaps or security-based swaps that are structured finance swaps, if—(i) such structured finance swaps are undertaken for hedging or risk management purposes; or (ii) each asset-backed security underlying such structured finance swaps is of a credit quality and of a type or category with respect to which the prudential regulators have jointly adopted rules authorizing swap or security-based swap activity by covered depository institutions. (2) DefinitionsFor purposes of this subsection:(A) Structured finance swapThe term “structured finance swap” means a swap or security-based swap based on an asset-backed security (or group or index primarily comprised of asset-backed securities). (B) Asset-backed securityThe term “asset-backed security” has the meaning given such term under section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)).
(e) Existing swaps and security-based swapsThe prohibition in subsection (a) shall only apply to swaps or security-based swaps entered into by a covered depository institution after the end of the transition period described in subsection (f).
(f) Transition periodTo the extent a covered depository institution qualifies as a “swaps entity” and would be subject to the Federal assistance prohibition in subsection (a), the appropriate Federal banking agency, after consulting with and considering the views of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or the Securities Exchange Commission, as appropriate, shall permit the covered depository institution up to 24 months to divest the swaps entity or cease the activities that require registration as a swaps entity. In establishing the appropriate transition period to effect such divestiture or cessation of activities, which may include making the swaps entity an affiliate of the covered depository institution, the appropriate Federal banking agency shall take into account and make written findings regarding the potential impact of such divestiture or cessation of activities on the covered depository institution’s (1) mortgage lending, (2) small business lending, (3) job creation, and (4) capital formation versus the potential negative impact on insured depositors and the Deposit Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The appropriate Federal banking agency may consider such other factors as may be appropriate. The appropriate Federal banking agency may place such conditions on the covered depository institution’s divestiture or ceasing of activities of the swaps entity as it deems necessary and appropriate. The transition period under this subsection may be extended by the appropriate Federal banking agency, after consultation with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission, for a period of up to 1 additional year.
(g) Excluded entitiesFor purposes of this section, the term “swaps entity” shall not include any insured depository institution under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.] or a covered financial company under title II which is in a conservatorship, receivership, or a bridge bank operated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
(h) Effective dateThe prohibition in subsection (a) shall be effective 2 years following the date on which this Act is effective.
(i) Liquidation required(1) In general(A) FDIC insured institutionsAll swaps entities that are FDIC insured institutions that are put into receivership or declared insolvent as a result of swap or security-based swap activity of the swaps entities shall be subject to the termination or transfer of that swap or security-based swap activity in accordance with applicable law prescribing the treatment of those contracts. No taxpayer funds shall be used to prevent the receivership of any swap entity resulting from swap or security-based swap activity of the swaps entity. (B) Institutions that pose a systemic risk and are subject to heightened prudential supervision as regulated under section 5323 of title 12All swaps entities that are institutions that pose a systemic risk and are subject to heightened prudential supervision as regulated under section 5323 of title 12, that are put into receivership or declared insolvent as a result of swap or security-based swap activity of the swaps entities shall be subject to the termination or transfer of that swap or security-based swap activity in accordance with applicable law prescribing the treatment of those contracts. No taxpayer funds shall be used to prevent the receivership of any swap entity resulting from swap or security-based swap activity of the swaps entity. (C) Non-FDIC insured, non-systemically significant institutions not subject to heightened prudential supervision as regulated under section 5323 of title 12No taxpayer resources shall be used for the orderly liquidation of any swaps entities that are non-FDIC insured, non-systemically significant institutions not subject to heightened prudential supervision as regulated under section 5323 of title 12. (2) Recovery of fundsAll funds expended on the termination or transfer of the swap or security-based swap activity of the swaps entity shall be recovered in accordance with applicable law from the disposition of assets of such swap entity or through assessments, including on the financial sector as provided under applicable law. (3) No losses to taxpayersTaxpayers shall bear no losses from the exercise of any authority under this title.22 See References in Text note below.
(j) Prohibition on unregulated combination of swaps entities and bankingAt no time following adoption of the rules in subsection (k) may a bank or bank holding company be permitted to be or become a swap entity unless it conducts its swap or security-based swap activity in compliance with such minimum standards set by its prudential regulator as are reasonably calculated to permit the swaps entity to conduct its swap or security-based swap activities in a safe and sound manner and mitigate systemic risk.
(k) RulesIn prescribing rules, the prudential regulator for a swaps entity shall consider the following factors:(1) The expertise and managerial strength of the swaps entity, including systems for effective oversight. (2) The financial strength of the swaps entity. (3) Systems for identifying, measuring and controlling risks arising from the swaps entity’s operations. (4) Systems for identifying, measuring and controlling the swaps entity’s participation in existing markets. (5) Systems for controlling the swaps entity’s participation or entry into in 33 So in original. new markets and products.
(l) Authority of the Financial Stability Oversight CouncilThe Financial Stability Oversight Council may determine that,44 So in original. The word “that” probably should not appear. when other provisions established by this Act are insufficient to effectively mitigate systemic risk and protect taxpayers, that swaps entities may no longer access Federal assistance with respect to any swap, security-based swap, or other activity of the swaps entity. Any such determination by the Financial Stability Oversight Council of a prohibition of federal assistance shall be made on an institution-by-institution basis, and shall require the vote of not fewer than two-thirds of the members of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, which must include the vote by the Chairman of the Council, the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the Chairperson of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Notice and hearing requirements for such determinations shall be consistent with the standards provided in title I.
(m) Ban on proprietary trading in derivativesAn insured depository institution shall comply with the prohibition on proprietary trading in derivatives as required by section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act [12 U.S.C. 1851].
Source: OLRC USLMURL: https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/95/xml_usc15@119-95.zipFetched: 6/3/2026