The Council may provide for more stringent regulation of a financial activity by issuing recommendations to the primary financial regulatory agencies to apply new or heightened standards and safeguards, including standards enumerated in section 5325 of this title, for a financial activity or practice conducted by bank holding companies or nonbank financial companies under their respective jurisdictions, if the Council determines that the conduct, scope, nature, size, scale, concentration, or interconnectedness of such activity or practice could create or increase the risk of significant liquidity, credit, or other problems spreading among bank holding companies and nonbank financial companies, financial markets of the United States, or low-income, minority, or underserved communities.

The Council shall consult with the primary financial regulatory agencies and provide notice to the public and opportunity for comment for any proposed recommendation that the primary financial regulatory agencies apply new or heightened standards and safeguards for a financial activity or practice.

The new or heightened standards and safeguards for a financial activity or practice recommended under paragraph (1)—

(A) shall take costs to long-term economic growth into account; and

(B) may include prescribing the conduct of the activity or practice in specific ways (such as by limiting its scope, or applying particular capital or risk management requirements to the conduct of the activity) or prohibiting the activity or practice.

Each primary financial regulatory agency may impose, require reports regarding, examine for compliance with, and enforce standards in accordance with this section with respect to those entities for which it is the primary financial regulatory agency.

The authority under this paragraph is in addition to, and does not limit, any other authority of a primary financial regulatory agency. Compliance by an entity with actions taken by a primary financial regulatory agency under this section shall be enforceable in accordance with the statutes governing the respective jurisdiction of the primary financial regulatory agency over the entity, as if the agency action were taken under those statutes.

The primary financial regulatory agency shall impose the standards recommended by the Council in accordance with subsection (a), or similar standards that the Council deems acceptable, or shall explain in writing to the Council, not later than 90 days after the date on which the Council issues the recommendation, why the agency has determined not to follow the recommendation of the Council.

The Council shall report to Congress on—

(1) any recommendations issued by the Council under this section;

(2) the implementation of, or failure to implement, such recommendation on the part of a primary financial regulatory agency; and

(3) in any case in which no primary financial regulatory agency exists for the nonbank financial company conducting financial activities or practices referred to in subsection (a), recommendations for legislation that would prevent such activities or practices from threatening the stability of the financial system of the United States.

The Council may recommend to the relevant primary financial regulatory agency that a financial activity or practice no longer requires any standards or safeguards implemented under this section.

Upon receipt of a recommendation under paragraph (1), a primary financial regulatory agency that has imposed standards under this section shall determine whether such standards should remain in effect.

Each primary financial regulatory agency that has imposed standards under this section shall promulgate regulations to establish a procedure under which entities under its jurisdiction may appeal a determination by such agency under this paragraph that standards imposed under this section should remain in effect.

(Pub. L. 111–203, title I, §120, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1408.)