Herb Kohl: “I thank the Chairman for his continued work to ensure that appropriate resources are available to protect the economy…”

“I thank the Chairman for his continued work to ensure that appropriate resources are available to protect the economy from a future failure of a systemically risky financial institution and to help pay back taxpayers for the recent failures we experienced. With regard to assessments under the orderly liquidation authority of the bill, the bill requires that a risk-based matrix of factors be established by the FDIC, taking into account the recommendations of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, to be used in connection with assessing any individual entity. One of the factors listed in the bill's risk matrix provision would take into account the activities of financial entities and their affiliates. Is it the intent of that language that a consideration of such factors should specifically include the impact of potential assessments on the ability of an institution that is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization to carry out their legally required charitable and educational activities? As the Senator knows, many Members of the Senate--like me--feel strongly that we must ensure that our constituents and communities continue to have access to these vital resources, and any potential assessment on tax-exempt groups which are charitable and/or educational by mission could severely hamper these groups' ability to fulfill their obligations to carry out their legally required activities.”