But critics of the banks say the banks could be doing more under the current rules to expand whom they lend to, especially when they have so much spare capital. Michael Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending, said deregulation could lead to less lending. He asserted that possible changes to the Community Reinvestment Act could reduce the presence of banks in certain less well-off areas.
“Is it too much for banks to provide basic banking services in their footprint?” Mr. Calhoun asked.