United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office General Government Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-12-30 monographic deposited born digital 121 p. GA 1.13:GGD-95-35 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-35 P0b002ee1803913d1 f:gg95035 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-35 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-35 GGD-95-35 Banking regulation Bank management Federal reserve banks Financial institutions Banking law Bank holding companies Interstate commerce Small business assistance Small business loans Lending institutions Bank Insurance Fund BIF California Washington Arizona Letter Report GGD Supporters of a nationwide interstate banking law argue that geographic restrictions no longer make sense in today's integrated financial and credit markets and actually undermine the ability of U.S. banks to compete domestically and internationally. Opponents, however, fear that relaxing geographic restrictions could concentrate economic power among a relatively small number of banks. This report provides Congress and regulators with information on the potential impact on states of lifting geographic restrictions. GAO discusses the experiences of three western states--California, Washington, and Arizona--that have operated in an environment permitting interstate banking and in-state branching. GAO evaluates their experiences to determine whether these geographic laws have had any effect on the (1) market share and number of large banks, (2) viability of smaller banks, and (3) availability of credit to small businesses. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-35/html/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-35.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-35/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-35.pdf GAO/GGD-95-35 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-35 Letter Report GAO/GGD-95-35; Interstate Banking: Experiences in Three Western States; Banking regulation Bank management Federal reserve banks Financial institutions Banking law Bank holding companies Interstate commerce Small business assistance Small business loans Lending institutions Bank Insurance Fund BIF California Washington Arizona Public Law 103-328