HR 7130
McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act
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Bill overview
This bill, the McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act, aims to eliminate the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) within the Department of the Treasury and establish a new United States Insurance Representative. It effectively reverses some aspects of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act regarding insurance regulation. The bill’s primary goal is to restore a more state-based approach to insurance oversight, reducing federal involvement in prudential regulation of insurance products.
Key provisions
- Eliminates the Federal Insurance Office and its director.
- Creates a United States Insurance Representative within the Department of the Treasury.
- The Representative’s duties include coordinating federal policy on international insurance matters, representing the Treasury in the International Association of Insurance Supervisors, and assisting with the Terrorism Insurance Program.
- Defines ‘covered agreements’ as bilateral or multilateral agreements between the U.S. and foreign governments regarding insurance prudential measures.
- Establishes a process for preempting state insurance measures by the United States Insurance Representative if they are inconsistent with covered agreements.
- Specifies that health insurance, long-term care insurance, and crop insurance are exempt from the Representative’s authority.
- Amends the Dodd-Frank Act to remove the FIO and adjust the Financial Stability Oversight Council membership to include a State insurance commissioner.
- Requires the United States Insurance Representative to submit annual reports to Congress on preemption activities and international insurance coordination.
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 7130
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To eliminate the Federal Insurance Office of the Department of the Treasury and to establish a United States Insurance Representative within the Department of the Treasury, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act
.
This section may not be construed to repeal or otherwise limit any authority of the Secretary of the Treasury with respect matters relating to insurance.
Title 31, United States Code, is amended—
in the table of sections for subchapter I of chapter 3, by striking Federal Insurance Office
and inserting United States Insurance Representative
; and
by amending section 313 to read as follows:
appoint an United States Insurance Representative; and
hire and retain individuals with expertise in matters related to insurance.
The United States Insurance Representative shall—
assist the Secretary in negotiating covered agreements;
results in less favorable treatment of a non-United States insurer domiciled in a foreign jurisdiction that is subject to a covered agreement than a United States insurer domiciled, licensed, or otherwise admitted in that State; and
is inconsistent with a covered agreement.
notify and consult with the appropriate State regarding any potential inconsistency or preemption;
notify and consult with the United States Trade Representative regarding any potential inconsistency or preemption;
publish in the Federal Register a notice of the potential inconsistency or preemption, including a description of each State insurance measure at issue and any applicable covered agreement;
provide interested parties a reasonable opportunity to submit written comments to the United States Insurance Representative; and
consider any comments received.
For purposes of this subsection, any determination of the United States Insurance Representative regarding State insurance measures, and any preemption under clause (i) as a result of such determination, shall be limited to the subject matter contained within the covered agreement involved and shall achieve a level of protection for insurance or reinsurance consumers that is substantially equivalent to the level of protection achieved under State insurance or reinsurance regulation.
Upon making any determination under paragraph (1), the United States Insurance Representative shall—
notify the appropriate State of the determination and the extent of the inconsistency;
establish a reasonable period of time, which shall not be less than 30 days, before the determination shall become effective; and
notify the Committees on Financial Services and Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and Finance of the Senate.
Upon the conclusion of the period referred to in paragraph (2)(C)(ii), if the basis for such determination still exists, the determination shall become effective and the United States Insurance Representative shall—
publish a notice in the Federal Register that the preemption has become effective, as well as the effective date; and
notify the appropriate State of the preemption of the State measure.
No State may enforce a State insurance measure that has been preempted under this subparagraph.
The Secretary may issue orders, regulations, policies, and procedures to implement this paragraph.
The United States Insurance Representative shall consult with State insurance regulators, individually or collectively, to the extent the United States Insurance Representative determines appropriate, in carrying out this paragraph.
Nothing in this paragraph or section 314 shall be construed to—
preempt—
any State insurance measure that governs any insurer’s rates, premiums, underwriting, or sales practices;
any State coverage requirements for insurance;
the application of the antitrust laws of any State to the business of insurance; or
any State insurance measure governing the capital or solvency of an insurer, except to the extent that such State insurance measure results in less favorable treatment of a non-United States insurer than a United States insurer;
provide the United States Insurance Representative or the Department of the Treasury with general supervisory or regulatory authority over the business of insurance;
Beginning on the date that is 2 years after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, and annually thereafter, the United States Insurance Representative shall submit a report to the President and to the Committees on Financial Services and Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and Finance of the Senate on any actions taken during the preceding 1-year period by the Representative pursuant to subsection (d).
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the United States Insurance Representative shall conduct a study and submit a report to the Congress that describes—
any international coordination of insurance regulation; and
the international competitiveness of United States insurers.
In this paragraph and section 314, the following definitions shall apply:
The term covered agreement means a written bilateral or multilateral agreement regarding prudential measures with respect to the business of insurance or reinsurance that—
is entered into between the United States and one or more foreign governments, authorities, or regulatory entities; and
relates to the recognition of prudential measures with respect to the business of insurance or reinsurance that achieves a level of protection for insurance or reinsurance consumers that is substantially equivalent to the level of protection achieved under State insurance or reinsurance regulation.
The term insurer means any person engaged in the business of insurance, including reinsurance.
The term Federal financial regulatory agency means the Department of the Treasury, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, or the National Credit Union Administration.
The term non-United States insurer means an insurer that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than a State, but does not include any United States branch of such an insurer.
The term State insurance measure means any State law, regulation, administrative ruling, bulletin, guideline, or practice relating to or affecting prudential measures applicable to insurance or reinsurance.
The term State insurance regulator means any State regulatory authority responsible for the supervision of insurers.
The term substantially equivalent to the level of protection achieved means the prudential measures of a foreign government, authority, or regulatory entity achieve a similar outcome in consumer protection as the outcome achieved under State insurance or reinsurance regulation.
The term United States insurer means—
an insurer that is organized under the laws of a State; or
a United States branch of a non-United States insurer.
in section 165(i) (12 U.S.C. 5365(i))—
in paragraph (1)(A), by striking and the Federal Insurance Office
and inserting and the Secretary of the Treasury
; and
and the Federal Insurance Officeand inserting
and the Secretary of the Treasury; and
Director of the Federal Insurance Officein each place it appears and inserting
United States Insurance Representative.
the Secretary of the Treasury, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and Director of the Federal Insurance Officeand inserting the following:
the Secretary of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; and
in paragraph (2), by striking the Secretary of the Treasury, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the Director of the Federal Insurance Office
each place that term occurs and inserting the following: the Secretary of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) is amended—
in section 111 (12 U.S.C. 5321)—
in subsection (b)—
in paragraph (1)—
andat the end;
in subparagraph (J), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
; and
by adding at the end the following:
in paragraph (2)—
in subparagraph (B), to read as follows:
by striking subparagraph (C); and
by redesignating subparagraphs (D) and (E) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and
by adding at the end the following:
in subsection (c)—
in paragraph (1)—
by inserting , the State insurance commissioner shall serve a term of 4 years
after 6 years
; and
by striking (C), (D), and (E)
and inserting (C) and (D)
; and
by adding at the end the following:
Notwithstanding section 3345 of title 5, United States Code, in the event of a vacancy of the State insurance commissioner of the Council or during the absence or disability of the State insurance commissioner of the Council, an acting State insurance commissioner of the Council shall serve as a nonvoting member of the Council until a successor is appointed and confirmed.
The acting State insurance commissioner described in subparagraph (A) shall be selected through process determined by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if a successor to the State insurance commissioner of the Council is not appointed and confirmed by the end of the term of service of the commissioner, such member may continue to serve until the earlier of—
18 months after the date on which the term of service ends; or
the date on which a successor to the commissioner is appointed and confirmed.
in section 112 (12 U.S.C. 5322)—
in subsection (a)(2)(A), by striking member agencies, other Federal and State financial regulatory agencies, the Federal Insurance Office
and inserting the following: member agencies and other Federal and State financial regulatory agencies
; and
in subsection (d)—
in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking the Office of Financial Research, member agencies, and the Federal Insurance Office
and inserting the Office of Financial Research and member agencies
; and
in paragraph (2), by striking , any member agency, and the Federal Insurance Office,
and inserting and any member agency
.