Banking reform, or changes in banking regulations because of dissatisfaction with existing regulations, has been on the political agenda since the earliest days of the United States. This reflects a number of factors, including: Banking is an old industry that has existed throughout US history; Banking has always been under some government regulation and control; Banks provide a large part of the country’s money supply, changes in which affect economic welfare importantly and are viewed as a government responsibility; Banks have periodically performed poorly causing large losses to depositors, disruptions to borrowers, and societal damage; Banks are the single largest supplier of total credit to the economy and also the largest supplier of credit to a number of important individual sectors and perceived to have the power to ‘make or break’ house-holds and business firms in need of credit; and Widespread fear of excessive economic power by banks.