Roger Williams (R-TX)
Merchant Banking Modernization Act
A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 320.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Merchant Banking Modernization Act," aims to amend the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. The primary purpose is to change the rules regarding how long merchant banking investments can be held. Under this proposal, the permitted holding period would generally be no less than 15 years. This change would also apply to any merchant banking investment held on the date the act is enacted.
Yes
- Scored +4
Would business owners be better off under this?
The extension of the holding period to 15 years offers more strategic flexibility for business owners.
- Scored +3
Would people with substantial wealth be better off under this?
The bill benefits high-net-worth individuals involved in merchant banking by allowing longer investment horizons.
- Scored +3
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill allows for longer-term merchant banking investments which can provide sustained capital for businesses.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Extended Investment Holding Periods: The bill amends the Bank Holding Company Act of s1956 to ensure that the period permitted for holding merchant banking investments is not less than 15 years (Section 2). This provides a specific, longer timeframe for holding these investments.
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Protection for Existing Investments: For any merchant banking investment held at the time this act becomes law, the permitted holding period will be at least 15 years from the initial date of the investment (Section 2). This ensures that current investments are covered under the new time standard.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The extension of the holding period to 15 years offers more strategic flexibility for business owners. Would people with substantial wealth be better off under this? — The bill benefits high-net-worth individuals involved in merchant banking by allowing longer investment horizons.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill allows for longer-term merchant banking investments which can provide sustained capital for businesses.
- 11/4/2025
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 119-368.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 320.
- 9/16/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 35 - 17.
- 9/15/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/10/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- Introduced in House
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Josh GottheimerDemocrat · New Jersey