Fed's Bowman Calls for Modernizing Bank Rules at St. Louis Forum
Governor Michelle Bowman addressed community bankers in St. Louis, urging updates to the regulatory and supervisory framework governing U.S. banks.
Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman called for a broad modernization of the regulatory and supervisory landscape overseeing U.S. banks, delivering remarks at the 2026 Community Banking Research Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The annual event is jointly sponsored by the Federal Reserve System, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Bowman's appearance before community banking researchers and practitioners signals continued Fed attention to the unique pressures facing smaller institutions, which operate under a regulatory framework that critics argue was designed with larger banks in mind. Community banks play an outsized role in lending to small businesses and rural communities, making their regulatory burden a recurring policy concern in Washington.
Read more Fed Extends Regulation O Comment Period to November 4 →
The conference serves as a key venue for dialogue between regulators, academics, and practitioners on issues shaping the future of community banking. Calls to modernize oversight frameworks have grown louder as technology, competition from nonbank lenders, and shifting interest rate environments test the resilience of smaller institutions across the country.
Bowman's focus on regulatory modernization aligns with broader discussions at the Fed and among federal banking agencies about calibrating rules to match risk without imposing disproportionate compliance costs on community banks. The tripartite sponsorship of the event reflects the shared jurisdiction that federal and state regulators hold over this segment of the financial system.
Continue reading at FRB: Speeches.
