H.R. 6546

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6546 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>

Union Calendar No. 453
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6546

[Report No. 119-528]

To require the Inspector General of each Federal prudential regulator 
to carry out a review every 3 years of the regulator's handling of 
insured depository institution merger applications, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 9, 2025

Mr. Williams of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Financial Services

February 25, 2026

Additional sponsors: Mr. Davidson and Mr. Lawler

February 25, 2026

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on 
December 9, 2025]

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Inspector General of each Federal prudential regulator 
to carry out a review every 3 years of the regulator's handling of 
insured depository institution merger applications, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Merger Process Review Act''.

SEC. 2. INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEW OF THE HANDLING OF INSURED DEPOSITORY 
INSTITUTION MERGER APPLICATIONS.

(a) Review.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and every 3 years thereafter, the Inspector General of each 
Federal depository institution regulatory agency shall review the 
Federal depository institution regulatory agency's merger review 
procedures, including record of timeliness and efficiency in reviewing 
and acting upon insured depository institution merger applications. The 
review shall--
(1) include an evaluation of relevant quantifiable metrics, 
including mean and median application processing times;
(2) identify sources of delay that may hinder the timely 
consummation of proposals that meet the relevant statutory 
factors;
(3) consider the benefits and risks of utilizing different 
merger review approaches and procedures in compliance with the 
law;
(4) include an evaluation of the impact of such merger 
review procedures and resulting approved mergers on safety and 
soundness, financial stability, competition, and the 
availability of financial products and services offered by 
insured depository institutions; and
(5) include specific recommendations to improve the merger 
review process, including timeliness and efficiency of 
application processing, consistent with the Federal depository 
institution regulatory agency's statutory responsibilities.
(b) Report.--Each Inspector General described under subsection (a) 
shall, at the conclusion of each review required under subsection (a), 
issue a report to Congress containing all findings and determinations 
made in carrying out the review, and publish such report online.
(c) Agency Response.--In response to each report issued to Congress 
under subsection (a), the appropriate Federal depository institution 
regulatory agency shall submit to Congress and publish online a written 
response, including a plan to implement the recommendations in the 
report, to the extent such implementation is appropriate.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Application.--The term ``application'' means an 
application, notice, or other similar request for permission 
submitted to a Federal depository institution regulatory 
agency.
(2) Federal depository institution regulatory agency.--The 
term ``Federal depository institution regulatory agency'' means 
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the 
Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Corporation, and the National Credit Union Administration 
Board.
(3) Insured depository institution.--The term ``insured 
depository institution''--
(A) has the meaning given that term in section 3 of 
the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813); and
(B) means an insured credit union, as defined in 
section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 
1752).
(4) Insured depository institution merger application.--The 
term ``insured depository institution merger application'' 
means an application with respect to the acquisition of an 
insured depository institution, its equity interests, its 
assets, or its deposits under--
(A) section 10(e) of the Home Owners' Loan Act (12 
U.S.C. 1467a(e));
(B) section 205(b) of the Federal Credit Union Act 
(12 U.S.C. 1785(b));
(C) section 7(j) of the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Act (12 U.S.C. 1817(j));
(D) section 18(c)(2) of the Federal Deposit 
Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1828(c)(2));
(E) section 3 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 
1956 (12 U.S.C. 1842); and
(F) section 4 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 
1956 (12 U.S.C. 1843).
Union Calendar No. 453

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6546

[Report No. 119-528]

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Inspector General of each Federal prudential regulator 
to carry out a review every 3 years of the regulator's handling of 
insured depository institution merger applications, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

February 25, 2026

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed