One-Year Post-Employment Restrictions for Senior Examiners, 45323-45334 [05-15468]

Agencies

• FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
• FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
• Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
• DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
• Office of Thrift Supervision
• Comptroller of the Currency

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 150 (Friday, August 5, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45323-45334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15468]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

12 CFR Parts 4 and 19

[Docket No. 05-12]
RIN 1557-AC94

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

12 CFR Parts 263 and 264a

[Docket No. R-1230]

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

12 CFR Part 308 and 336

RIN 3064-AC92

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of Thrift Supervision

12 CFR Parts 507 and 509

[No. 2005-27]
RIN 1550-AB99


One-Year Post-Employment Restrictions for Senior Examiners

AGENCIES: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury; 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board); Federal 
Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); and Office of Thrift Supervision 
(OTS), Treasury.

ACTION: Joint notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The OCC, Board, FDIC and OTS (the Agencies) propose to adopt 
rules to implement section 6303(b) of the Intelligence Reform and 
Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (Intelligence Reform Act), which added 
a new section 10(k) to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act). 
Section 10(k) imposes post-employment restrictions on senior examiners 
of depository institutions and depository institution holding 
companies. Under section 10(k), a senior examiner employed or 
commissioned by an Agency may not knowingly accept compensation as an 
employee, officer, director, or consultant from certain depository 
institutions or depository institution holding companies he or she 
examined, or from certain related entities, for one year after the 
examiner leaves the employment or service of the Agency. If an examiner 
violates the one-year restriction, the statute requires the appropriate 
Federal banking agency to

[[Page 45324]]

seek penalties. Accordingly, the examiner may be subject to an order of 
removal and prohibition or a civil money penalty of up to $250,000. The 
Agencies have the discretion to seek both types of remedy. Section 
10(k) will become effective on December 17, 2005.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 4, 2005.

ADDRESSES:
    OCC: You should include OCC and Docket Number 05-12 in your 
comment. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     OCC Web Site: https://www.occ.treas.gov. Click on ``Contact 
the OCC,'' scroll down and click on ``Comments on Proposed 
Regulations.''
     E-mail: regs.comments@occ.treas.gov.
     Fax: (202) 874-4448.
     Mail: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 250 E 
Street, SW., Mail Stop 1-5, Washington, DC 20219.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: 250 E Street, SW., Attn: Public 
Information Room, Mail Stop 1-5, Washington, DC 20219.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
(OCC) and docket number or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this 
notice of proposed rulemaking. In general, OCC will enter all comments 
received into the docket without change, including any business or 
personal information that you provide. You may review comments and 
other related materials by any of the following methods:
     Viewing Comments Personally: You may personally inspect 
and photocopy comments at the OCC's Public Information Room, 250 E 
Street, SW., Washington, DC. You can make an appointment to inspect 
comments by calling (202) 874-5043.
    Board: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. R-1230, by 
any of the following methods:
     Agency Web Site: https://www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments at https://www.federalreserve.gov/
generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. Include docket 
number in the subject line of the message.
     FAX: 202/452-3819 or 202/452-3102.
     Mail: Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20551.
    All public comments are available from the Board's Web site at 
https://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as 
submitted, except as necessary for technical reasons. Accordingly, your 
comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact 
information. Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in 
paper form in Room MP-500 of the Board's Martin Building (20th and C 
Streets, NW.) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.
    FDIC: You may submit comments, identified by RIN number, by any of 
the following methods:
     Agency Web Site: https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/laws/
federal.propose.html. Follow instructions for submitting comments on 
the Agency Web Site.
     E-mail: Comments@FDIC.gov. Include the RIN number in the 
subject line of the message.
     Mail: Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary, Attention: 
Comments, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20429.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Guard station at the rear of the 
550 17th Street Building (located on F Street) on business days between 
7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and RIN for this rulemaking. All comments received will be posted 
without change to https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/laws/federal/
propose.html including any personal information provided.
    OTS: You may submit comments, identified by No. 2005-27, by any of 
the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: regs.comments@ots.treas.gov. Please include No. 
2005-27 in the subject line of the message and include your name and 
telephone number in the message.
     Fax: (202) 906-6518.
     Mail: Regulation Comments, Chief Counsel's Office, Office 
of Thrift Supervision, 1700 G Street, NW., Washington, DC 20552, 
Attention: No. 2005-27.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Guard's Desk, East Lobby Entrance, 
1700 G Street, NW., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on business days, Attention: 
Regulation Comments, Chief Counsel's Office, Attention: No. 2005-27.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this 
rulemaking. All comments received will be posted without change to the 
OTS Internet Site at https://www.ots.treas.gov/
pagehtml.cfm?catNumber=67&an=1, including any personal information 
provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to https://www.ots.treas.gov/
pagehtml.cfm?catNumber=67&an=1.
    In addition, you may inspect comments at the Public Reading Room, 
1700 G Street, NW., by appointment. To make an appointment for access, 
call (202) 906-5922, send an e-mail to public.info@ots.treas.gov, or 
send a facsimile transmission to (202) 906-7755. (Prior notice 
identifying the materials you will be requesting will assist us in 
serving you.) We schedule appointments on business days between 10 a.m. 
and 4 p.m. In most cases, appointments will be available the next 
business day following the date we receive a request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    OCC: Mitchell Plave, Counsel, Legislative and Regulatory Activities 
Division, (202) 874-5090; Stuart Feldstein, Assistant Director, 
Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, (202) 874-5090; or 
Barrett Aldemeyer, Senior Counsel, Administrative and Internal Law 
Division, (202) 874-4460, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 
250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219.
    Board: Cary K. Williams, Assistant General Counsel, (202) 452-3295, 
Kieran J. Fallon, Assistant General Counsel, (202) 452-5270, Andrea 
Tokheim, Attorney, (202) 452-2300, Legal Division; William Spaniel, 
Deputy Associate Director, (202) 452-3469, or Jinai Holmes, Senior 
Financial Analyst, (202) 452-2834, Division of Banking Supervision and 
Regulation; for users of Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD) 
only, contact (202) 263-4869.
    FDIC: Robert J. Fagan, Ethics Program Manager, Legal Division, 
(202) 898-6808; Stephen P. Gaddie, Special Assistant to the Deputy 
Director, Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection, (202) 898-
6575; Richard Osterman, Senior Counsel, Legal Division, (202) 898-7028; 
and Kymberly K. Copa, Counsel, Legal Division, (202) 898-8832.
    OTS: Elizabeth Moore, Special Counsel, Litigation Division, (202) 
906-7039; or Karen Osterloh, Special Counsel, Regulations and 
Legislation Division, (202) 906-6639, Chief Counsel's Office, Office of 
Thrift Supervision, 1700 G Street, NW., Washington, DC 20552.

[[Page 45325]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Recently, Congress added a new Federal post-employment restriction 
that applies in certain circumstances to ``senior examiners'' of 
depository institutions and depository institution holding companies. 
Under section 6303(b) of the Intelligence Reform Act,\1\ which added a 
new section 10(k) to the FDI Act, an officer or employee of an Agency 
or a Federal Reserve Bank (Reserve Bank) who acts as a ``senior 
examiner'' for a particular depository institution may not, within one 
year after terminating employment with the relevant Agency or Reserve 
Bank, knowingly accept compensation as an officer, director, employee 
or consultant from such depository institution or any company 
(including a bank holding company or savings and loan holding company) 
that controls the depository institution.\2\ Section 10(k) imposes a 
similar post-employment restriction on an officer or employee who acts 
as the ``senior examiner'' of a particular depository institution 
holding company, but, in these circumstances, the post-employment 
restrictions apply to relationships with the depository institution 
holding company and any depository institution subsidiary of the 
holding company.\3\ The post-employment restrictions in section 10(k) 
are in addition to any other conflict of interest and ethics rules and 
restrictions that may apply to examiners under applicable Federal law 
or the internal codes of conduct established by an Agency or a Reserve 
Bank.
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    \1\ Pub. L. 108-458, 118 Stat. 3638, 3751-53 (Dec. 17, 2004).
    \2\ For purposes of section 10(k), the term ``depository 
institution'' includes an uninsured branch or agency of a foreign 
bank, if such branch or agency is located in a state of the United 
States. See 12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(2)(A).
    \3\ For purposes of the post-employment restriction of section 
10(k), the term ``depository institution holding company'' means a 
bank holding company or a savings and loan holding company, and also 
includes, among other things, a foreign bank that has a branch, 
agency, or commercial lending company subsidiary in the United 
States.
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    As discussed further below, under section 10(k), an officer or 
employee of an Agency or a Reserve Bank serves as the ``senior 
examiner'' of a particular depository institution or depository 
institution holding company only if the examiner has ``continuing, 
broad responsibility'' for the examination or inspection of that 
depository institution or depository institution holding company. In 
addition, to be subject to the post-employment restrictions in section 
10(k), an officer or employee must have served as the senior examiner 
for the institution or holding company for two or more months during 
the final twelve months of his or her employment with the Agency or 
Reserve Bank. If a senior examiner violates the one-year post-
employment restrictions in section 10(k), the statute requires the 
appropriate Federal banking agency to initiate proceedings to impose an 
order of removal and prohibition or a civil money penalty on the former 
senior examiner, and permits the Agency to seek both remedies. These 
penalties are discussed more fully in Part II.C below.
    Congress directed each Agency to prescribe rules or regulations to 
administer and carry out section 10(k), including rules, regulations or 
guidelines to define the scope of persons who are ``senior examiners.'' 
Congress required the Agencies to consult with each other to assure 
that these rules are, to the extent possible, consistent, comparable, 
and practicable, taking into account any differences in the supervisory 
programs utilized by the Agencies for the supervision of depository 
institutions and depository institution holding companies.
    Accordingly, the Agencies today are jointly requesting comment on 
proposed rules that would implement the post-employment restrictions in 
section 10(k). The Agencies have consulted with each other in 
developing the proposed rules, which are substantively similar. The 
proposed rules of the Agencies, however, differ slightly to reflect 
differences in the supervisory programs and jurisdictions of the 
Agencies. In addition, there are slight, non-substantive differences in 
the organization of the Agencies' proposed rules.

II. Description of the Proposal

A. Definition of ``Senior Examiner''

    The post-employment restrictions in section 10(k) apply only to an 
officer or employee of an Agency or Reserve Bank who serves as the 
``senior examiner'' (or in a functionally equivalent position) of a 
particular depository institution or depository institution holding 
company and, in this capacity, has ``continuing, broad responsibility 
for the examination (or inspection) of that depository institution or 
depository institution holding company'' on behalf of the relevant 
Agency or Reserve Bank.\4\ The legislative history of section 10(k) 
indicates that the statute's post-employment restrictions were 
``intended to apply only to senior examiners who have a meaningful 
relationship with a financial institution, such as an examiner-in-
charge or a senior examiner with dedicated responsibility to oversee a 
particular institution.'' \5\ Moreover, this legislative history 
indicates that the statute was ``not intended to apply to less senior 
examiners who may examine or inspect dozens of financial institutions 
in a single year without developing a sustained relationship with any 
one institution,'' or to ``persons holding supervisory positions that 
do not involve routine interactions with an institution for purposes of 
examining or inspecting the institution's books or operations.'' \6\
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    \4\ See 12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(1)(B).
    \5\ 150 Cong. Rec. S10356 (daily ed. Oct. 4, 2004) (statement of 
Sen. Levin).
    \6\ Id.
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    Consistent with the statute and Congress's intent, the proposed 
rules provide that an officer or employee of an Agency or a Reserve 
Bank will be considered the ``senior examiner'' for a particular 
depository institution or depository institution holding company if:
     The individual has been designated or commissioned to 
conduct examinations or inspections on behalf of the relevant Agency;
     The relevant Agency or Reserve Bank has assigned the 
individual continuing, broad, and lead responsibility for examining or 
inspecting the depository institution or holding company; and
     The individual's responsibilities for the depository 
institution or holding company represent a substantial portion of the 
individual's assigned responsibilities and require the individual to 
routinely interact with officers or employees of the institution, 
holding company, or its affiliates.
    To be considered a ``senior examiner,'' an officer or employee must 
meet each of the criteria listed above. Thus, an examiner who spends a 
substantial portion of his or her time conducting or leading a targeted 
examination (such as a review of an institution's credit risk 
management, information systems or internal audit functions), but who 
does not have broad and lead responsibility for the Agency's or Reserve 
Bank's overall examination program with respect to the institution, 
would not be considered a ``senior examiner'' with respect to the 
institution. An examiner who may divide his or her time across a 
portfolio of depository institutions or holding companies, each of 
which does not represent a substantial portion of the examiner's 
responsibilities, also would not be considered a ``senior examiner.'' 
Such an examiner is not likely to develop the type and degree of

[[Page 45326]]

relationship with any one institution that the post-employment 
restriction was designed to address. In addition, for purposes of 
section 10(k), the examiner must have ``continuing'' responsibility for 
the relevant Agency's or Reserve Bank's supervisory program with 
respect to the particular depository institution or depository 
institution holding company. The Agencies believe that an examiner 
would have ``continuing'' responsibility for an institution or holding 
company only when the examiner's responsibilities for the institution 
or company were expected to continue for a sufficient period of time, 
for example, for at least two months, that would enable the examiner to 
develop the type and degree of ``meaningful,'' ``dedicated'' and 
``sustained'' relationship with the institution or company that the 
statute was designed to address.\7\
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    \7\ 150 Cong. Rec. S10356 (daily ed. Oct. 4, 2004) (statement of 
Sen. Levin).
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    The Agencies believe that the proposed definition of ``senior 
examiner'' properly applies the post-employment restrictions in section 
10(k) to those examiners who, by reason of their position and assigned 
responsibilities, have broad responsibility for a depository 
institution or depository institution holding company and will devote a 
substantial amount of their time to that institution or holding company 
on a continuing basis. It is these senior examiners who may develop the 
type and degree of meaningful and ongoing relationship with a 
particular institution intended to be covered by the statute.
    To help examiners comply with the one-year post-employment 
restrictions, the Agencies will notify an examiner in writing if the 
relevant Agency believes the examiner's assigned responsibilities would 
cause the examiner to be considered a ``senior examiner'' with respect 
to any depository institution or depository institution holding 
company. Nonetheless, the post-employment restrictions in section 10(k) 
and the proposed rules apply directly to senior examiners, and 
examiners are responsible for becoming familiar with and ensuring their 
own compliance with the statute. Accordingly, examiners who have 
questions concerning whether they may be considered a ``senior 
examiner'' for an institution or holding company should contact the 
appropriate persons at their respective Agency or Reserve Bank.
    Because the titles and roles of examiners vary among the Agencies, 
the Agencies have set forth below a brief description of the types of 
examiners that each Agency anticipates, in light of the structure and 
nature of the Agency's supervisory program, would be subject to the 
post-employment restrictions in section 10(k). We invite comment on 
whether the proposed definition of ``senior examiner,'' combined with 
notice to those examiners, is sufficient to identify those Agency or 
Reserve Bank employees who are subject to section 10(k).
1. OCC
    The OCC expects that the one-year post-employment restrictions 
would apply to examiners-in-charge (EIC) of a bank in the OCC's Large 
Bank or Mid-Size Bank programs. OCC employees who may examine multiple 
depository institutions in a single year typically do not develop the 
type and degree of relationship with any one institution that would 
cause them to be considered ``senior examiners'' under the proposal.
    For banks in the OCC's Large and Mid-Size Bank programs, the EIC 
coordinates and oversees all of the examination and supervisory 
activities for all of the affiliated national banks that may be part of 
that banking organization's family of national banks (e.g., separately 
chartered national trust company or credit card banks). In those cases, 
the EIC is considered to be a ``senior examiner'' for purposes of this 
regulation for each national bank within the family of national banks.
    The proposal applies only to OCC employees who have overall 
responsibility for a national bank on a sustained basis. While the 
proposal would primarily cover large and mid-size bank program EICs, 
there may be others who meet the ``senior examiner'' criteria, such as 
individuals who serve as acting EICs for banks in the OCC's Large or 
Mid-Size Bank program for the period of time described in the statute. 
The OCC anticipates that approximately 50 examiners would be covered by 
the one-year post-employment restrictions.
    The proposal would not cover Portfolio Managers for national banks 
supervised by a field office of the OCC, typically community banks. 
Although Portfolio Managers serve as the designated point-of-contact 
for national banks in their portfolios and lead the examination 
activities for institutions in their portfolios, they may also perform 
examinations of several institutions not in their portfolios, including 
serving as EIC for some of those examinations. Accordingly, Portfolio 
Managers typically do not develop the type and degree of relationship 
with any one institution sought to be covered by the statute.
    The OCC will develop policies and procedures to identify and notify 
those examiners who will be subject to the post-employment 
restrictions.
2. Board
    The Board expects that the post-employment restrictions in section 
10(k) would apply to those examiners who serve as central points of 
contact, or in functionally equivalent positions (collectively, CPCs), 
for a limited number of large and complex or larger regional state 
member banks, bank holding companies, or foreign banks. CPCs are 
assigned broad, lead and overall responsibility for the Federal 
Reserve's supervisory and examination program for a particular 
institution. In addition, given the nature of large and complex banking 
organizations and a few larger regional banking organizations, CPCs 
that are assigned to such organizations typically are expected to 
devote a substantial portion, and in some cases all, of their time and 
attention to the supervision, examination, or inspection of that 
organization. The Board currently estimates that approximately 50 
examiners that serve as CPCs for large and complex or larger regional 
banking organizations would be considered the senior examiner for the 
organization for purposes of section 10(k) and the proposed rules. The 
Board expects to develop policies and procedures to notify those Board 
examiners that are subject to the post-employment restrictions in 
section 10(k).
3. FDIC
    As the FDIC's supervisory program is currently structured, most 
examiners-in-charge (EICs) at the FDIC would not be considered senior 
examiners or satisfy the requirement that the senior examiner serve for 
two or more months in that role during the last 12 months of employment 
with the FDIC. FDIC employees who examine or inspect multiple financial 
institutions in a single year (even as an EIC in some cases) typically 
do not develop a sustained or meaningful relationship with any one 
institution and, therefore, would not be considered ``senior 
examiners'' under the proposal. The proposal is intended to apply only 
to FDIC examiners who have overall responsibility for an insured 
depository institution that involves ``routine interactions with the 
institution for purposes of examining or inspecting the institution's 
books or operations'' and that creates the opportunity for a

[[Page 45327]]

meaningful or sustained relationship with that institution.\8\
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    \8\ See 150 Cong. Rec. s10356 (daily ed. Oct. 4, 2004) 
(statement of Sen. Levin).
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    Under the current organization of the FDIC's Division of 
Supervision and Consumer Protection, certain FDIC examiners would, 
however, clearly seem to be covered--examiners in the Large State 
Nonmember Bank Onsite Supervision Program and examiners assigned to the 
FDIC's Dedicated Examiner Program who are assigned to the largest 
banking organizations.
    The Large State Nonmember Bank Onsite Supervision Program provides 
for visitations and targeted reviews of the institutions covered by the 
Program throughout the year, instead of traditional, annual, point-in-
time examinations. Examiners assigned to the Program focus on all 
aspects of ongoing supervision for institutions in the Program, 
including:
     Preparing and implementing, or assisting in preparing or 
implementing, supervisory plans;
     Risk-scoping supervisory activities and conducting ongoing 
targeted reviews in accordance with the institution's supervisory plan;
     Meeting with institution management to communicate 
findings;
     Preparing limited scope reports; and
     Completing annual reports of examinations.
    These Program examiners are the FDIC's primary source of 
supervision and oversight of their assigned institutions, and they must 
have an intimate knowledge of their institution's operations and 
considerable access to institution management to perform their duties.
    In addition, although the FDIC is not the primary Federal regulator 
for the largest banking organizations currently in the Dedicated 
Examiner Program, the FDIC examiners in this Program are dedicated to 
the institution, have an intimate knowledge of their assigned 
institutions, considerable access to, and potentially close working 
relationships with, institution management, and are the FDIC's primary 
source of supervisory information and oversight of these institutions. 
These dedicated examiners, therefore, appear to meet the statutory 
requirement of being a senior examiner (or a functionally equivalent 
position) of a depository institution with continuing, broad 
responsibility for examining that institution. Furthermore, absent the 
``cooling off'' period, permitting a dedicated examiner to go to work 
for his or her assigned institution could create a perceived conflict 
of interest.
    On the other hand, the proposal would not be expected typically to 
cover Relationship Managers for institutions within a field or 
territory office. Although Relationship Managers serve as the local 
point-of-contact for FDIC-supervised institutions in their portfolios, 
and they would normally be expected to lead the examination activities 
in which they specialize for the banks in their portfolios, they are 
also expected to perform examinations of banks that are not in their 
portfolios, including acting as the EIC for some of those examinations. 
In addition, Relationship Managers are not required to be the EIC 
during safety and soundness examinations of institutions in their 
portfolios, and, unlike dedicated and large State nonmember examiners, 
Relationship Managers may be onsite at their assigned institutions 
relatively infrequently. Moreover, the FDIC does not expect that a 
Relationship Manager will typically spend a substantial portion of his 
or her time on any particular institution to which he or she is 
assigned. Rather, these are journeyman level field examiners assigned 
to a particular institution as a local point of contact for the 
convenience of the institution and the FDIC, but these examiners also 
will be expected to examine a number of other institutions during the 
course of a year, both as an EIC and as a staff examiner.
    It is the FDIC's view that the duties of Relationship Managers do 
not generally meet the requirements of being a ``senior examiner or a 
functionally equivalent position of a depository institution with 
continuing, broad responsibility for the examination of that 
institution.'' However, it is possible that, based on individual 
circumstances, a particular Relationship Manager could be considered a 
senior examiner for purposes of the post-employment restrictions. Most 
generalist examiners employed by the FDIC would not be covered by the 
post-employment restrictions in section 10(k). While the proposal would 
primarily cover FDIC examiners in the Large State Nonmember Bank Onsite 
Supervision Program, examiners in its Dedicated Examiner Program, and 
possibly a limited number of EICs, there may be others who have 
``continuing, broad responsibility'' for examining or inspecting 
insured depository institutions, such as individuals who conduct 
certain special examinations or serve in an acting capacity in a 
covered position.
4. OTS
    As OTS's supervisory program is currently structured, the post-
employment restrictions in section 10(k) would primarily cover OTS 
examiners-in-charge (EICs) at OTS's largest savings associations and 
holding companies. Other EICs inspect multiple savings associations and 
savings and loan holding companies in a single year and, as a result, 
typically do not develop a meaningful and sustained relationship with 
any one entity. Accordingly, OTS believes that these EICs would not 
satisfy the definition of senior examiner either because they do not 
have continuing responsibilities at the entity or because their 
responsibilities with respect to the particular savings association or 
savings and loan holding company would not represent a substantial 
portion of their assigned responsibilities. Most of these EICs also 
would not satisfy the two of twelve months service requirement.
    Examiners who are not EICs typically would not be senior examiners 
because they do not have ``broad and lead'' responsibilities for 
examinations or inspections. As noted in the legislative history, 
however, the definition of senior examiner may apply to more than one 
examiner at the same entity. Under OTS's interpretation of this 
criterion, an examiner would have ``broad and lead'' responsibility if 
he or she has significant, major responsibilities regarding the conduct 
of the overall examination program at an entity, whether or not that 
examiner is designated as an EIC. Thus, non-EICs at OTS's largest 
savings associations or holding companies could also satisfy the 
definition of senior examiner.
    Other OTS officers or employees typically would not be senior 
examiners. For example, Washington headquarters employees, Regional 
Directors, Deputy Regional Directors, Assistant Regional Directors for 
Support or Operations, and Field Managers typically would not satisfy 
one or more of the proposed criteria for senior examiner and would not 
be subject to the post-employment restrictions.

B. One-Year Post-Employment Restrictions

    If an officer or employee of an Agency or a Reserve Bank serves as 
the senior examiner for a depository institution during two or more 
months of the individual's final twelve months of employment with the 
Agency or Reserve Bank, section 10(k) prohibits the individual from 
knowingly accepting compensation as an employee, officer, director, or 
consultant from the

[[Page 45328]]

depository institution or any company that controls the depository 
institution (including a bank holding company or savings and loan 
holding company) for one year after leaving the employment of the 
Agency or Reserve Bank. With respect to holding companies, the one-year 
prohibition extends only to companies that control the depository 
institution and would not prohibit the senior examiner from accepting 
employment with a subsidiary or affiliate of the bank holding company, 
savings and loan holding company, or other company that controls the 
bank (other than the depository institution subsidiary for which the 
individual served as a senior examiner).\9\
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    \9\ The Agencies note, however, that a former senior examiner 
may not evade the post-employment restrictions in section 10(k) by 
nominally accepting employment with a company not directly covered 
by the post-employment restrictions, but then functionally serve as 
an officer, employee, director, or consultant for a depository 
institution or company that the former senior examiner would have 
been prohibited from working for directly.
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    If an officer or employee serves as the senior examiner for a 
depository institution holding company for two or more months during 
the last twelve months of his or her employment with an Agency or a 
Reserve Bank, the statute prohibits the individual from becoming 
employed by, or otherwise accepting compensation in the manner 
described above, from that holding company or any depository 
institution subsidiary of the holding company for one year after 
leaving the employment of the Agency or Reserve Bank.
    To assist examiners, the Agencies have tailored their rules to 
identify how these restrictions would apply to senior examiners for the 
different types of institutions and holding companies, including 
foreign banks, under the Agencies' jurisdictions.
    Under section 10(k), a person is deemed to be a consultant for 
purposes of the one-year post-employment restrictions only if such 
person ``directly works on matters for, or on behalf of,'' the relevant 
depository institution, depository institution holding company or other 
company.\10\ The Agencies have incorporated this rule of construction 
into the proposed rules. We interpret this provision to mean that a 
former senior examiner who joins a consulting or other firm may not, 
during the twelve-month post-employment ``cooling-off'' period, 
participate in any work that the firm is conducting for a depository 
institution or company that the former senior examiner would be 
prohibited from doing directly.\11\ The former senior examiner would 
not, however, violate the post-employment restrictions in section 10(k) 
by joining a firm that performs work for such an institution or company 
as long as the former senior examiner does not personally participate 
in any such work. The Agencies request comment on whether the meaning 
of ``consultant'' is sufficiently clear.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \10\ See 12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(3).
    \11\ Of course, a former senior examiner who is self-employed 
similarly may not accept compensation for work performed as a 
consultant in his or her individual capacity for the relevant 
depository institution, depository institution holding company, or 
other company.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 10(k) expressly authorizes the head of each Agency to waive 
application of the statute's post-employment restrictions to a senior 
examiner on a case-by-case basis if the head of the Agency determines 
that ``granting the waiver would not affect the integrity of the 
supervisory program of [such Agency].'' \12\ The Agencies have 
incorporated this waiver provision into the proposed rules. The 
Agencies expect to grant waivers only in special circumstances. If an 
Agency grants a waiver to a senior examiner, the post-employment 
restrictions in section 10(k), and the associated penalties, would not 
apply to the senior examiner.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \12\ See 12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. Penalties

    If a senior examiner violates the post-employment restrictions in 
section 10(k), the statute requires the appropriate Agency to seek one 
of the following penalties:
     An order (1) removing the individual from his or her 
position at, or prohibiting the individual from further participation 
in the affairs of, the relevant depository institution, depository 
institution holding company, or other company for a period of up to 
five years, and (2) prohibiting the individual from participating in 
the conduct of the affairs of any insured depository institution for a 
period of up to five years; or
     A civil monetary penalty of not more than $250,000.\13\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ See 12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(6)(A). If the appropriate Federal 
banking agency does not assess a civil monetary penalty against a 
senior examiner who violates the post-employment restrictions in 
section 10(k), the Attorney General of the United States may bring a 
civil action to impose such a penalty against the senior examiner. 
Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    An Agency also has the discretion to seek both of these penalties.
    A former senior examiner who is subject to a removal and 
prohibition order under section 10(k) also is subject to paragraphs (6) 
and (7) of section 8(e) of the FDI Act.\14\ These provisions further 
define the scope of the penalties specified in section 10(k). For 
example, they would prohibit an individual, for the duration of the 
prohibition order, from participating in the affairs of any bank 
holding company or subsidiary of a bank holding company, savings and 
loan holding company or subsidiary of a savings and loan holding 
company, any foreign bank that operates a branch, agency or commercial 
lending company subsidiary in the United States or any subsidiary of 
such a foreign bank, or certain other entities, such as credit 
unions.\15\ In addition, these provisions would prohibit the 
individual, during the term of the prohibition order, from accepting 
employment with any appropriate Federal financial institutions 
regulatory agency (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1818(e)(7)(D)), and certain 
other Federal agencies. The penalties that may apply to a senior 
examiner under section 10(k) are in addition to any other 
administrative, civil, or criminal penalty that may apply.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \14\ See 12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(6)(B).
    \15\ The appropriate agencies may waive for an individual the 
application of this restriction as it applies to a particular 
institution or other company, as provided in section 8(e)(7)(B) of 
the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1818(e)(7)(B)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under section 10(k), to obtain an order of removal or prohibition, 
an Agency must follow the rules and procedures that apply in similar 
types of proceedings against depository institutions and institution-
affiliated parties. Specifically, section 10(k) states that removal and 
prohibition proceedings must be conducted in accordance with section 
8(e)(4) of the FDI Act, which provides the individual the right to an 
administrative hearing prior to final Agency action. Section 10(k) 
further provides that an Agency seeking to impose a civil monetary 
penalty on a former senior examiner must do so either in accordance 
with section 8(i) of the FDI Act, which also provides the individual 
the right to an administrative hearing prior to final Agency action, or 
through a civil action brought in an appropriate United States District 
Court.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \16\ See 12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(6).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Agencies do not believe it is necessary to codify these 
procedures, which are set forth in the statute, in their proposed 
rules. Accordingly, the proposed rules merely cross-reference the 
required statutory procedures. Under the proposal, proceedings against 
examiners for violations of the post-employment restrictions would take 
place in accordance with the Agencies' rules of practice and procedure. 
Accordingly, the Agencies propose to amend the scope sections of their

[[Page 45329]]

respective Rules of Practice and Procedure to reflect the addition of 
proceedings under section 10(k).
    Section 10(k) assigns responsibility for seeking penalties to the 
``appropriate Federal banking agency'' (as determined under section 3 
of the FDI Act) for the institution or company that employs the former 
senior examiner (or otherwise compensates the senior examiner) after 
the examiner has left the service of an Agency or Reserve Bank.\17\ For 
example, the OCC would be responsible for seeking penalties against a 
former employee of a Reserve Bank who, after acting as a ``senior 
examiner'' at a bank holding company, accepts compensation, in 
violation of section 10(k), from a subsidiary national bank. As a 
corollary, the Board would be responsible for seeking penalties against 
a former OCC employee who accepts prohibited compensation from the 
holding company of a national bank. When a senior examiner becomes 
associated with an entity that is not a depository institution or a 
depository institution holding company, the ``appropriate Federal 
banking agency'' is the Agency that employed the senior examiner.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \17\ See 12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(6)(A).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As noted above, in some cases, the Agency responsible for enforcing 
the post-employment restrictions in section 10(k) with respect to a 
senior examiner may be a different Agency than the Agency that employed 
or commissioned the examiner. The Agency that employed or commissioned 
the examiner, however, would remain responsible for determining whether 
the examiner was the ``senior examiner'' for a depository institution 
or depository institution holding company while the examiner was 
employed or commissioned by the Agency in accordance with the rules of 
that Agency. For example, if an examiner commissioned by the Board and 
employed by a Reserve Bank leaves the employment of the Reserve Bank 
and immediately accepts employment with a national bank subsidiary of a 
bank holding company, the Board would be responsible for determining, 
under the Board's rules and guidance, whether the examiner served as 
the ``senior examiner'' for the parent bank holding company for the 
requisite period prior to his or her departure from the Reserve Bank. 
If the Board determined that the examiner was the ``senior examiner'' 
for the parent bank holding company of the national bank subsidiary, 
then the OCC would seek to impose appropriate penalties for violations 
of the post-employment restrictions in section 10(k) with respect to 
the former examiner.

D. Effective Date

    The Intelligence Reform Act provides that the post-employment 
restrictions imposed by section 10(k) shall become effective on 
December 17, 2005.\18\ Accordingly, section 10(k) and the proposed 
rules apply only to officers or employees of an Agency or Reserve Bank 
who terminate their employment with the Agency or Reserve Bank on or 
after December 17, 2005. The Agencies note, however, that, because of 
the statute's twelve-month ``look-back'' provision, an officer or 
employee who leaves an Agency or a Reserve Bank within one year of 
December 17, 2005, may be subject to the post-employment restrictions 
in section 10(k) based on the nature of their examination 
responsibilities as far back as December 17, 2004.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \18\ See section 6303(d) of the Intelligence Reform Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For example, if an Agency examiner terminates his or her employment 
with the relevant Agency on January 1, 2006, and the individual, while 
employed by the Agency, served as the ``senior examiner'' for a 
particular depository institution from May 1, 2005 to October 1, 2005, 
the individual is subject to the post-employment restrictions. Although 
the service that caused the individual to be considered a ``senior 
examiner'' occurred prior to December 17, 2005, such service occurred 
during the last twelve months of the individual's employment with the 
Agency and, accordingly, the examiner may not become employed by the 
relevant depository institution, or any company that controls the 
depository institution, until January 2, 2007.
    As noted above, section 10(k) does not apply to any Agency or 
Reserve Bank employee who resigns before December 17, 2005. Thus, in 
the foregoing example, if the examiner terminated his or her employment 
with the Agency on November 1, 2005, the employee would not be subject 
to the post-employment restrictions in section 10(k).
Solicitation of Comments on Use of Plain Language
    Section 722 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Pub. L. 106-102, 113 
Stat. 1338, 1471 (Nov. 12, 1999), requires the Federal banking agencies 
to use plain language in all proposed and final rules published after 
January 1, 2000. We invite your comments on how to make this proposal 
easier to understand. For example:
     Have we organized the material to suit your needs? If not, 
how could this material be better organized?
     Are the requirements in the proposed regulation clearly 
stated? If not, how could the regulation be more clearly stated?
     Does the proposed regulation contain language or jargon 
that is not clear? If so, which language requires clarification?
     Would a different format (grouping and order of sections, 
use of headings, paragraphing) make the regulation easier to 
understand? If so, what changes to the format would make the regulation 
easier to understand?
     What else could we do to make the regulation easier to 
understand?
Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis
    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) requires that each federal 
Agency either certify that a proposed rule would not, if adopted in 
final form, have a significant impact on a substantial number of small 
entities or prepare an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA) 
of the proposal and publish the analysis for comment. See 5 U.S.C. 603, 
605. Section 10(k) and the proposed rules impose post-employment 
restrictions on certain senior examiners employed by an Agency or a 
Reserve Bank and do not impose any obligations or restrictions on 
banking organizations, including small banking organizations. On this 
basis, the Agencies certify that this proposal, if it is adopted in 
final form, would not have a significant impact on a substantial number 
of small entities, within the meaning of those terms as used in the 
RFA. Commenters are invited to provide the Agencies with any 
information they may have about the likely quantitative effects of the 
proposal.
Executive Order 12866
    The OCC and OTS have determined that this proposed rulemaking is 
not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 13132
    The OCC has determined that this proposal does not have any 
federalism implications as required by Executive Order 13132.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
    Under section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, 2 
U.S.C. 1532 (Unfunded Mandates Act), the OCC and OTS must prepare a 
budgetary impact statement before promulgating any rule likely to 
result in a Federal mandate that may result in the expenditure by 
State, local, and tribal

[[Page 45330]]

governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any one year. If a budgetary impact statement is 
required, section 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Act also requires the 
OCC and OTS to identify and consider a reasonable number of regulatory 
alternatives before promulgating the rule. The OCC and OTS have 
determined that their respective portions of the proposed rulemaking 
will not result in expenditures by state, local, and tribal 
governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any one year. Accordingly, neither the OCC nor OTS 
has prepared a budgetary impact statement or specifically addressed the 
regulatory alternatives considered.
Paperwork Reduction Act
    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Ch. 3506; 5 CFR 1320 Appendix A.1), the Agencies reviewed the proposed 
rule. No collections of information pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act are contained in the proposed rule.

List of Subjects

12 CFR Part 4

    Administrative practice and procedure, Availability and release of 
information, Confidential business information, Contracting outreach 
program, Freedom of information, National banks, Organization and 
functions (government agencies), Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Women and minority businesses.

12 CFR Part 19

    Administrative practice and procedure, Crime, Equal access to 
justice, Investigation, National banks, Penalties, Securities.

12 CFR Part 263

    Administrative practice and procedure, Claims, Crime, Equal access 
to justice, Lawyers, Penalties.

12 CFR Part 264a

    Conflicts of interest.

12 CFR Part 308

    Administrative practice and procedure, Bank deposit insurance, 
Claims, Crime, Equal access to justice, Investigations, Lawyers, 
Penalties.

12 CFR Part 336

    Conflict of interests.

12 CFR Part 507

    Ethics, Governmental employees, OTS employees.

12 CFR Part 509

    Administrative practice and procedure, Penalties.

Department of the Treasury

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

12 CFR Chapter I

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the OCC proposes to 
amend parts 4 and 19 of title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations as 
follows:
    1. The title of part 4 is revised to read as follows:

PART 4--ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS, AVAILABILITY AND RELEASE OF 
INFORMATION, CONTRACTING OUTREACH PROGRAM, POST-EMPLOYMENT 
RESTRICTIONS FOR SENIOR EXAMINERS

    2. The authority citation for part 4 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 93a. Subpart A also issued under 5 U.S.C. 
552; Subpart B also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552; E.O. 12600 (3 CFR 
1987 Comp., p. 235). Subpart C also issued under 5 U.S.C. 301, 552; 
12 U.S.C. 161, 481, 482, 484(a), 1442, 1817(a)(3), 1818(u) and (v), 
1820(d)(6), 1820(k), 1821(c), 1821(o), 1821(t), 1831m, 1831p-1, 
1831o, 1867, 1951 et seq., 2601 et seq., 2801 et seq., 2901 et seq., 
3101 et seq., 3401 et seq.; 15 U.S.C. 77uu(b), 78q(c)(3); 18 U.S.C. 
641, 1905, 1906; 29 U.S.C. 1204; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 3601; 44 
U.S.C. 3506, 3510. Subpart D also issued under 12 U.S.C. 1833e.

    3. A new subpart E is added to part 4 to read as follows:

Subpart E--One-Year Restrictions on Post-Employment Activities of 
Senior Examiners

Sec.
4.72 Scope and purpose.
4.73 Definitions.
4.74 One-year post-employment restrictions.
4.75 Effective date; waivers.
4.76 Penalties.


Sec.  4.72  Scope and purpose.

    This subpart describes those OCC examiners who are subject to the 
post-employment restrictions set forth in section 10(k) of the Federal 
Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act) (12 U.S.C. 1820(k)) and implements 
those restrictions for officers and employees of the OCC.


Sec.  4.73  Definitions.

    For purposes of this subpart:
    Bank holding company means any company that controls a bank (as 
provided in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 
U.S.C. 1841 et seq.)).
    Consultant. For purposes of this subpart, a consultant for a 
national bank, bank holding company, or other company shall include 
only an individual who works directly on matters for, or on behalf of, 
such bank, bank holding company, or other company.
    Control has the meaning given in section 2 of the Bank Holding 
Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1841(a)). For purposes of this subpart, a 
foreign bank shall be deemed to control any branch or agency of the 
foreign bank.
    Depository institution has the meaning given in section 3 of the 
FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(c)). For purposes of this subpart, a depository 
institution includes an uninsured branch or agency of a foreign bank, 
if such branch or agency is located in any State.
    Federal Reserve means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System and the Federal Reserve Banks.
    Foreign bank means any foreign bank or company described in section 
8(a) of the International Banking Act of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 3106(a)).
    Insured depository institution has the meaning given in section 3 
of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(c)(2)).
    National bank means a national banking association or a Federal 
branch or agency of a foreign bank.
    Senior examiner. For purposes of this subpart, an officer or 
employee of the OCC is considered to be the ``senior examiner'' for a 
particular national bank if'
    (1) The officer or employee has been commissioned by the OCC to 
conduct examinations on behalf of the OCC;
    (2) The officer or employee has been assigned continuing, broad, 
and lead responsibility for examining the national bank; and
    (3) The officer's or employee's responsibilities for examining the 
national bank--
    (i) Represent a substantial portion of the officer's or employee's 
assigned responsibilities; and
    (ii) Require the officer or employee to interact routinely with 
officers or employees of the national bank or its affiliates.


Sec.  4.74  One-year post-employment restrictions.

    An officer or employee of the OCC who serves as the senior examiner 
of a national bank for two or more months during the last twelve months 
of such individual's employment with the OCC may not, within one year 
after leaving the employment of the OCC, knowingly accept compensation 
as an employee,

[[Page 45331]]

officer, director or consultant from the national bank, or any company 
(including a bank holding company) that controls the national bank.


Sec.  4.75  Effective date; waivers.

    The post-employment restrictions set forth in section 10(k) of the 
FDI Act and Sec.  4.74 do not apply to any officer or employee of the 
OCC, or any former officer or employee of the OCC, if--
    (a) The individual ceased to be an officer or employee of the OCC 
before December 17, 2005; or
    (b) The Comptroller of the Currency certifies, in writing and on a 
case-by-case basis, that granting the individual a waiver of the 
restrictions would not affect the integrity of the OCC's supervisory 
program.


Sec.  4.76  Penalties.

    (a) Penalties under section 10(k) of FDI Act. If a senior examiner 
of a national bank, after leaving the employment of the OCC, accepts 
compensation as an employee, officer, director, or consultant from that 
bank, or any company (including a bank holding company) that controls 
that bank, then the examiner shall, in accordance with section 10(k)(6) 
of the FDI Act, be subject to one of the following penalties--
    (1) An order:
    (i) Removing the individual from office or prohibiting the 
individual from further participation in the affairs of the relevant 
national bank, bank holding company, or other company that controls 
such institution for a period of up to five years; and
    (ii) Prohibiting the individual from participating in the affairs 
of any insured depository institution for a period of up to five years; 
or
    (2) A civil monetary penalty of not more than $250,000.
    (b) Enforcement by appropriate Federal banking agency. Violations 
of Sec.  4.74 shall be administered or enforced by the appropriate 
Federal banking agency for the depository institution or depository 
institution holding company that provided compensation to the former 
senior examiner. For purposes of this paragraph, the appropriate 
Federal banking agency for a company that is not a depository 
institution or depository institution holding company shall be the 
Federal banking agency that formerly employed the senior examiner.
    (c) Scope of prohibition orders. Any senior examiner who is subject 
to an order issued under paragraph (a) of this section shall, as 
required by 12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(6)(B), be subject to paragraphs (6) and 
(7) of section 8(e) of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1818(e)(6)-(7)) in the 
same manner and to the same extent as a person subject to an order 
issued under section 8(e).
    (d) Procedures. The procedures applicable to actions under 
paragraph (a) of this section are provided in section 10(k)(6) of the 
FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1820(k)(6)) and in 12 C.F.R. part 19.
    (e) Remedies not exclusive. The OCC may seek both of the penalties 
described in paragraph (a) of this section. In addition, a senior 
examiner who accepts compensation as described in Sec.  4.74 may be 
subject to other administrative, civil or criminal remedies or 
penalties as provided in law.

PART 19--RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

    4. The authority citation for part 19 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 504, 554-557; 12 U.S.C. 93(b), 93a, 164, 
505, 1817, 1818, 1820, 1831m, 1831o, 1972, 3102, 3108(a), 3909 and 
4717; 15 U.S.C. 78(h) and (i), 78o-4(c), 78o-5, 78q-1, 78s, 78u, 
78u-2, 78u-3, and 78w; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note; 31 U.S.C. 330, 5321; and 
42 U.S.C. 4012a.

    5. In section 19.1:
    a. Redesignate paragraph (g) as paragraph (h);
    b. Remove the word ``and'' at the end of the paragraph (f); and
    c. Add a new paragraph (g) to read as follows:


Sec.  19.1  Scope.

* * * * *
    (g) Removal, prohibition, and civil monetary penalty proceedings 
under section 10(k) of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1820(k)) for violations 
of the post-employment restrictions imposed by that section; and
* * * * *

    Dated: July 26, 2005.
Julie L. Williams,
Acting Comptroller of the Currency.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

12 CFR Chapter II

Authority and Issuance

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Board proposes to 
amend part 263 and add a new part 264a to Title 12, Chapter II, of the 
Code of Federal Regulations as follows:

PART 263--RULES OF PRACTICE FOR HEARINGS

    1. The authority citation for part 263 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 504; 12 U.S.C. 248, 324, 504, 505, 1817(j), 
1818, 1828(c), 1831o, 1831p-1, 1847(b), 1847(d), 1884(b), 
1972(2)(F), 3105, 3107, 3108, 3907, 3909; 15 U.S.C. 21, 78o-4, 78o-
5, 78u-2; and 28 U.S.C. 2461 note.

    2. Section 263.1 is amended by redesignating paragraph (g) as 
paragraph (h), removing the word ``and'' at the end of the paragraph 
(f), and adding new paragraph (g) to read as follows:


Sec.  263.1  Scope.

* * * * *
    (g) Removal, prohibition, and civil monetary penalty proceedings 
under section 10(k) of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1820(k)) for violations 
of the special post-employment restrictions imposed by that section; 
and
* * * * *
    3. New part 264a is added to read as follows:

PART 264a--POST-EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS FOR SENIOR EXAMINERS

Sec.
264a.1 What is the purpose and scope of this part?
264a.2 Who is considered a senior examiner of the Federal Reserve?
264a.3 What special post-employment restrictions apply to senior 
examiners?
264a.4 When do these special restrictions become effective and may 
they be waived?
264a.5 What are the penalties for violating these special post-
employment restrictions?
264a.6 What other definitions and rules of construction apply for 
purposes of this part?

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1820(k).


Sec.  264a.1  What is the purpose and scope of this part?

    This part identifies those officers and employees of the Federal 
Reserve that are subject to the special post-employment restrictions 
set forth in section 10(k) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI 
Act) and implements those restrictions as they apply to officers and 
employees of the Federal Reserve.


Sec.  264a.2  Who is considered a senior examiner of the Federal 
Reserve?

    For purposes of this part, an officer or employee of the Federal 
Reserve is considered to be the ``senior examiner'' for a particular 
state member bank, bank holding company or foreign bank if--
    (a) The officer or employee has been commissioned by the Board to 
conduct examinations or inspections on behalf of the Board;
    (b) The officer or employee has been assigned continuing, broad and 
lead responsibility for examining or inspecting the state member bank, 
bank holding company or foreign bank; and

[[Page 45332]]

    (c) The officer's or employee's responsibilities for examining, 
inspecting and supervising the state member bank, bank holding company 
or foreign bank--
    (1) Represent a substantial portion of the officer's or employee's 
assigned responsibilities; and
    (2) Require the officer or employee to interact routinely with 
officers or employees of the state member bank, bank holding company or 
foreign bank or its affiliates.


Sec.  264a.3  What special post-employment restrictions apply to senior 
examiners?

    (a) Senior Examiners of State Member Banks. An officer or employee 
of the Federal Reserve who serves as the senior examiner of a state 
member bank for two or more months during the last twelve months of 
such individual's employment with the Federal Reserve may not, within 
one year after leaving the employment of the Federal Reserve, knowingly 
accept compensation as an employee, officer, director or consultant 
from--
    (1) The state member bank; or
    (2) Any company (including a bank holding company) that controls 
the state member bank.
    (b) Senior Examiners of Bank Holding Companies. An officer or 
employee of the Federal Reserve who serves as the senior examiner of a 
bank holding company for two or more months during the last twelve 
months of such individual's employment with the Federal Reserve may 
not, within one year of leaving the employment of the Federal Reserve, 
knowingly accept compensation as an employee, officer, director or 
consultant from--
    (1) The bank holding company; or
    (2) Any depository institution that is controlled by the bank 
holding company.
    (c) Senior Examiners of Foreign Banks. An officer or employee of 
the Federal Reserve who serves as the senior examiner of a foreign bank 
for two or more months during the last twelve months of such 
individual's employment with the Federal Reserve may not, within one 
year of leaving the employment of the Federal Reserve, knowingly accept 
compensation as an employee, officer, director or consultant from--
    (1) The foreign bank; or
    (2) Any branch or agency of the foreign bank located in the United 
States; or
    (3) Any other depository institution controlled by the foreign 
bank.


Sec.  264a.4  When do these special restrictions become effective and 
may they be waived?

    The post-employment restrictions set forth in section 10(k) of the 
FDI Act and Sec.  264a.3 do not apply to any officer or employee of the 
Federal Reserve, or any former officer or employee of the Federal 
Reserve, if--
    (a) The individual ceased to be an officer or employee of the 
Federal Reserve before December 17, 2005; or
    (b) The Chairman of the Board of Governors certifies, in writing 
and on a case-by-case basis, that granting the individual a waiver of 
the restrictions would not affect the integrity of the Federal 
Reserve's supervisory program.


Sec.