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A federal judge has rejected the Trump Administration’s request to release from court supervision a bank that had been accused of discriminatory lending.

U.S. District Judge Michael M. Baylson of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania found that continued oversight was needed to make sure the terms of the settlement with ESSA Bank were followed.

On July 25, 2025, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (collectively, the agencies) published in the Federal Register their fourth notice requesting comment on their regulations pursuant to the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996 (EGRPRA). EGRPRA requires the agencies to review their regulations every 10 years to identify outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome regulations applicable to insured depository institutions.

On July 23, 2025, the federal government unveiled America’s AI Action Plan (the Plan), a sweeping policy roadmap aimed at clearing away regulatory barriers, supercharging U.S. investment in infrastructure and talent surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), and asserting U.S. leadership in global AI markets. The Plan creates both opportunities and challenges for business. Businesses can expect new incentives, shifting compliance requirements, and heightened competition in the race to develop and deploy advanced AI.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken emergency action to shut down a deceptive debt relief operation accused of targeting older Americans and veterans with false promises and fraudulent tactics. The scheme, run by a network of seven companies and three individuals under the name Accelerated Debt Settlement, allegedly misled consumers into believing their unsecured debts could be reduced by up to 75%—or more.

In 2025, structured debt settlement is emerging as a viable recovery strategy for lenders and servicers. Unlike past cycles, it now offers a framework for operational control, regulatory alignment, and scalable engagement.