---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 9050"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "9050"
heading: "Temporary relief for community banks"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/9050"
units:
  - "Chapter 116 — Coronavirus Economic Stabilization (cares Act)"
  - "Subchapter III — Economic Stabilization and Assistance to Severely Distressed Sectors of the United States Economy"
  - "Part A — Coronavirus Economic Stabilization"
---

# §9050. Temporary relief for community banks

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section—
  - (1) the term “appropriate Federal banking agency” has the meaning given the term in [section 2](/usc/15/2.md) of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act ([12 U.S.C. 5365](/usc/12/5365.md) note); and
  - (2) the terms “Community Bank Leverage Ratio” and “qualifying community bank” have the meanings given the terms in [section 201(a)](/usc/15/201.md) of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act ([12 U.S.C. 5371](/usc/12/5371.md) note).
- (b) **Interim rule—**
  - (1) **In general—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation, the appropriate Federal banking agencies shall issue an interim final rule that provides that, for the purposes of [section 201](/usc/15/201.md) of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act ([12 U.S.C. 5371](/usc/12/5371.md) note)—
    - (A) the Community Bank Leverage Ratio shall be 8 percent; and
    - (B) a qualifying community bank that falls below the Community Bank Leverage Ratio established under [subparagraph (A)](#b-1-A) shall have a reasonable grace period to satisfy the Community Bank Leverage Ratio.
  - (2) **Effective period—** The interim rule issued under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) shall be effective during the period beginning on the date on which the appropriate Federal banking agencies issue the rule and ending on the sooner of—
    - (A) the termination date of the national emergency concerning the novel [coronavirus](/usc/15/9041.md?p=2) disease (COVID–19) outbreak declared by the President on March 13, 2020 under the National Emergencies Act ([50 U.S.C. 1601](/usc/50/1601.md) et seq.); or
    - (B) December 31, 2020.
- (c) **Grace period—** During a grace period described in [subsection (b)(1)(B)](#b-1-B), a qualifying community bank to which the grace period applies may continue to be treated as a qualifying community bank and shall be presumed to satisfy the capital and leverage requirements described in [section 201(c)](/usc/15/201.md) of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act ([12 U.S.C. 5371](/usc/12/5371.md) note).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title IV, § 4012, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 479.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 2 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is section 2 of Pub. L. 115–174, May 24, 2018, 132 Stat. 1297, which is set out as a note under section 5365 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.

Section 201 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2), (b)(1), and (c), is section 201 of Pub. L. 115–174, May 24, 2018, 132 Stat. 1306, which is set out as a note under section 5371 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.

The National Emergencies Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(A), is Pub. L. 94–412, Sept. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 1255, which is classified principally to chapter 34 (§ 1601 et seq.) of Title 50, War and National Defense. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of Title 50 and Tables.