12 U.S.C. § 5390 - Powers and duties of the Corporation

• Cite as: 12 U.S.C. § 5390

(a) Powers and authorities

(1) General powers

(A) Successor to covered financial company

The Corporation shall, upon appointment as receiver for a covered financial company under this subchapter, succeed to-

(i) all rights, titles, powers, and privileges of the covered financial company and its assets, and of any stockholder, member, officer, or director of such company; and

(ii) title to the books, records, and assets of any previous receiver or other legal custodian of such covered financial company.

(B) Operation of the covered financial company during the period of orderly liquidation

The Corporation, as receiver for a covered financial company, may-

(i) take over the assets of and operate the covered financial company with all of the powers of the members or shareholders, the directors, and the officers of the covered financial company, and conduct all business of the covered financial company;

(ii) collect all obligations and money owed to the covered financial company;

(iii) perform all functions of the covered financial company, in the name of the covered financial company;

(iv) manage the assets and property of the covered financial company, consistent with maximization of the value of the assets in the context of the orderly liquidation; and

(v) provide by contract for assistance in fulfilling any function, activity, action, or duty of the Corporation as receiver.

(C) Functions of covered financial company officers, directors, and shareholders

The Corporation may provide for the exercise of any function by any member or stockholder, director, or officer of any covered financial company for which the Corporation has been appointed as receiver under this subchapter.

(D) Additional powers as receiver

The Corporation shall, as receiver for a covered financial company, and subject to all legally enforceable and perfected security interests and all legally enforceable security entitlements in respect of assets held by the covered financial company, liquidate, and wind-up ¹ the affairs of a covered financial company, including taking steps to realize upon the assets of the covered financial company, in such manner as the Corporation deems appropriate, including through the sale of assets, the transfer of assets to a bridge financial company established under subsection (h), or the exercise of any other rights or privileges granted to the receiver under this section.

(E) Additional powers with respect to failing subsidiaries of a covered financial company

(i) In general

In any case in which a receiver is appointed for a covered financial company under section 5382 of this title, the Corporation may appoint itself as receiver of any covered subsidiary of the covered financial company that is organized under Federal law or the laws of any State, if the Corporation and the Secretary jointly determine that-

(I) the covered subsidiary is in default or in danger of default;

(II) such action would avoid or mitigate serious adverse effects on the financial stability or economic conditions of the United States; and

(III) such action would facilitate the orderly liquidation of the covered financial company.

(ii) Treatment as covered financial company

If the Corporation is appointed as receiver of a covered subsidiary of a covered financial company under clause (i), the covered subsidiary shall thereafter be considered a covered financial company under this subchapter, and the Corporation shall thereafter have all the powers and rights with respect to that covered subsidiary as it has with respect to a covered financial company under this subchapter.

(F) Organization of bridge companies

The Corporation, as receiver for a covered financial company, may organize a bridge financial company under subsection (h).

(G) Merger; transfer of assets and liabilities

(i) In general

Subject to clauses (ii) and (iii), the Corporation, as receiver for a covered financial company, may-

(I) merge the covered financial company with another company; or

(II) transfer any asset or liability of the covered financial company (including any assets and liabilities held by the covered financial company for security entitlement holders, any customer property, or any assets and liabilities associated with any trust or custody business) without obtaining any approval, assignment, or consent with respect to such transfer.

(ii) Federal agency approval; antitrust review

With respect to a transaction described in clause (i)(I) that requires approval by a Federal agency-

(I) the transaction may not be consummated before the 5th calendar day after the date of approval by the Federal agency responsible for such approval;

(II) if, in connection with any such approval, a report on competitive factors is required, the Federal agency responsible for such approval shall promptly notify the Attorney General of the United States of the proposed transaction, and the Attorney General shall provide the required report not later than 10 days after the date of the request; and

(III) if notification under section 18a of title 15 is required with respect to such transaction, then the required waiting period shall end on the 15th day after the date on which the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission receive such notification, unless the waiting period is terminated earlier under subsection (b)(2) of such section 18a, or is extended pursuant to subsection (e)(2) of such section 18a.

(iii) Setoff

Subject to the other provisions of this subchapter, any transferee of assets from a receiver, including a bridge financial company, shall be subject to such claims or rights as would prevail over the rights of such transferee in such assets under applicable noninsolvency law.

(H) Payment of valid obligations

The Corporation, as receiver for a covered financial company, shall, to the extent that funds are available, pay all valid obligations of the covered financial company that are due and payable at the time of the appointment of the Corporation as receiver, in accordance with the prescriptions and limitations of this subchapter.

(I) Applicable noninsolvency law

Except as may otherwise be provided in this subchapter, the applicable noninsolvency law shall be determined by the noninsolvency choice of law rules otherwise applicable to the claims, rights, titles, persons, or entities at issue.

(J) Subpoena authority

(i) In general

The Corporation, as receiver for a covered financial company, may, for purposes of carrying out any power, authority, or duty with respect to the covered financial company (including determining any claim against the covered financial company and determining and realizing upon any asset of any person in the course of collecting money due the covered financial company), exercise any power established under section 1818(n) of this title, as if the Corporation were the appropriate Federal banking agency for the covered financial company, and the covered financial company were an insured depository institution.

(ii) Rule of construction

This subparagraph may not be construed as limiting any rights that the Corporation, in any capacity, might otherwise have to exercise any powers described in clause (i) or under any other provision of law.

(K) Incidental powers

The Corporation, as receiver for a covered financial company, may exercise all powers and authorities specifically granted to receivers under this subchapter, and such incidental powers as shall be necessary to carry out such powers under this subchapter.

(L) Utilization of private sector

In carrying out its responsibilities in the management and disposition of assets from the covered financial company, the Corporation, as receiver for a covered financial company, may utilize the services of private persons, including real estate and loan portfolio asset management, property management, auction marketing, legal, and brokerage services, if such services are available in the private sector, and the Corporation determines that utilization of such services is practicable, efficient, and cost effective.

(M) Shareholders and creditors of covered financial company

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Corporation, as receiver for a covered financial company, shall succeed by operation of law to the rights, titles, powers, and privileges described in subparagraph (A), and shall terminate all rights and claims that the stockholders and creditors of the covered financial company may have against the assets of the covered financial company or the Corporation arising out of their status as stockholders or creditors, except for their right to payment, resolution, or other satisfaction of their claims, as permitted under this section. The Corporation shall ensure that shareholders and unsecured creditors bear losses, consistent with the priority of claims provisions under this section.

(N) Coordination with foreign financial authorities

The Corporation, as receiver for a covered financial company, shall coordinate, to the maximum extent possible, with the appropriate foreign financial authorities regarding the orderly liquidation of any covered financial company that has assets or operations in a country other than the United States.

(O) Restriction on transfers

(i) Selection of accounts for transfer

If the Corporation establishes one or more bridge financial companies with respect to a covered broker or dealer, the Corporation shall transfer to one of such bridge financial companies, all customer accounts of the covered broker or dealer, and all associated customer name securities and customer property, unless the Corporation, after consulting with the Commission and SIPC, determines that-

(I) the customer accounts, customer name securities, and customer property are likely to be promptly transferred to another broker or dealer that is registered with the Commission under section 78o(b) of title 15 and is a member of SIPC; or

(II) the transfer of the accounts to a bridge financial company would materially interfere with the ability of the Corporation to avoid or mitigate serious adverse effects on financial stability or economic conditions in the United States.