TBA hosts U.S. Treasury Secretary, Comptroller in Houston

Meetings focus on protecting the financial system and fighting illicit activity while ensuring access for legitimate businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 15, 2026

HOUSTON - Bankers from throughout Texas underscored their commitment to supporting the integrity of the financial system while serving legitimate businesses and households in a meeting Friday with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould.

In a roundtable with community bankers hosted by the Texas Bankers Association, Secretary Bessent outlined a recent advisory providing guidance to banks on countering illicit activity and transnational crime. Bankers highlighted their commitment to work with Treasury and law enforcement to vigilantly root out financial crime while carefully ensuring access for legitimate businesses and households.

"Banks like ours have always been the first line of defense against financial crime … not because the regulations require it, but because knowing our customers is the entire model in Texas," said Hazel Davis, Vice President of Jefferson Bank in San Antonio, addressing recent administrative initiatives to ensure financial integrity.

"The framework must be built on one that targets bad actors with precision, preserves access to the regulated banking environment for law-abiding customers, and treats community banks as the partners with integrity we have always been," Davis said. "The integrity of the financial system runs through communities like ours. We are committed to protecting it and we look forward to working together."

Treasury Secretary Bessent and Comptroller Gould noted community bankers in Texas have already taken important steps to protect the financial system, while noting the importance of collaboration.

"The advisory does not ask banks to become immigration officers," Bessent said. "It asks banks to do what they do best: know their customers, identify risk, recognize suspicious patterns, and report illicit activity when they see it."

"Our objective is not to burden community banks with unnecessary requirements, but to provide a regulatory framework that allows institutions to focus resources where the risks are greatest," he said. "The good news is that many Texas bankers are already answering this call."

"The advisory does not create new requirements but rather provides additional clarity that can help institutions identify unlawful activities that disadvantage honest businesses, divert taxpayer resources, and create opportunities for transnational criminal organizations to generate proceeds that continue to fund their activities and traffic ill-gotten profits throughout the United States." Comptroller Gould said.

Texas Bankers Association President and CEO Chris Furlow said: "The foundation and strength of the Texas banking sector comes from our relationship-driven community banks and midsize institutions. Our banks invest significant resources in fighting fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes. We know our customers and will continue to support families and legitimate businesses. Texas community banks do this every day and look forward to continued engagement with the administration."

Video from the event in Houston can be watched here.

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About Texas Bankers Association

Founded in 1885, the Texas Bankers Association is the oldest and largest state-based banking association in the US. TBA advocates for nearly 400 member banks and trust companies in Austin and Washington, trains more than 20,000 bankers annually, provides nationally recognized community bank services, and invests in Texas communities through financial literacy, scholarship, and charitable activities.