PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.
H.R.5159 / 111th Congress

SAFE Banking Act of 2010

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Apr 28, 2010

Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Efficient Banking Act of 2010 or the SAFE Banking Act of 2010 - Amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to prohibit a bank holding company from holding more than 10% of the total amount of deposits of insured depository institutions in the United States.

Directs the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to require any bank holding company having a deposit concentration in violation of this Act to sell or transfer assets to unaffiliated firms to bring the company into compliance with this Act.

Prescribes minimum leverage ratios (6% of average total consolidated assets) and balance sheet leverage ratios (6% of tier 1 capital for all outstanding balance sheet liabilities) for tier 1 capital maintained by a bank holding company or financial company.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

Authorizes the Board and other federal regulators to grant an emergency temporary exemption from such ratio requirements where necessary to prevent an imminent threat to the financial stability of the United States.

Directs the Board to: (1) establish a leverage ratio and a balance sheet leverage ratio for all operating subsidiaries of bank holding companies and financial companies; and (2) require a noncompliant bank holding company or financial company to raise capital, sell, or otherwise transfer assets or off-balance sheet items to unaffiliated firms (prompt corrective action).

Prohibits a bank holding company from possessing nondeposit liabilities exceeding 2% percent of the annual gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States.

Authorizes the Board to: (1) set a separate liability limit for certain bank holding companies primarily engaged in the business of insurance; and (2) exclude specified deposits from its calculation of nondeposit liabilities if necessary to ensure consistent and equitable treatment of institutions with international operations.

Prohibits a financial company from possessing nondeposit liabilities exceeding 3% of the U.S. annual GDP.

Requires the Board to conduct, and report to Congress on, an annual capital assessment to estimate losses, revenues, and reserve needs for bank holding companies and financial companies.

Amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to instruct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue a rule requiring certain issuers of securities to record all assets and liabilities on their balance sheets and all financings of assets for which the issuer has more than minimal economic risks or rewards.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Rep. Miller, Brad [D-NC-13] · D–NC

Committees

  • Financial Services Committee
15 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.5159 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.5159 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.5159 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.5159 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources