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              Congressional
            SResearch Service                                                     IE






Federal Home Loan Banks: Primary Mission

Asset Ratios and Transitioning from LIBOR



March 5,   2021

The Federal Home Loan Bank Act of 1932 (P.L. 72-304; 47 Stat. 128) created the Federal Home Loan
Bank (FHLB)  system, which currently consists of 11 regional institutions and the system's Office of
Finance. These entities collectively constitute one government-sponsored enterprise. The FHLBs are
federally chartered cooperative financial institutions, meaning that each FHLB is privately owned and
capitalized by its members. Four types of financial institutions may become FHLB system members: (1)
federally insured depository institutions (i.e., banks and credit unions), (2) insurance companies, (3)
community development financial institutions, and (4) non-federally insured credit unions that meet
certain statutory criteria. Each FHLB provides advances (cash loans) to member lending institutions in its
regional district. Members may obtain FHLB advances if they have the eligible assets that can be used as
collateral-typically mortgage and mortgage-related assets that promote homeownership.
The FHLBs  are required by statute to administer various programs that foster affordable housing and
community development. Each FHLB  must set aside 10% of its annual net earnings to support the
acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of affordable rental housing in its district. The FHLBs also
provide discounted advances to facilitate affordable housing as well as broader community developments
in areas meeting certain eligibility requirements in their districts.
As the FHLBs' primary regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) requires calculation of
each FHLB's primary asset mission ratio (PMAR) to monitor the extent to which its activities align with
mission goals. The PMAR, sometimes referred to as core mission asset ratio (CMA), is a ratio of an
FHLB's  asset holdings affiliated with its core mission relative to consolidated obligations. FHFA has a
regulatory preferred PMAR minimum of 70% based on an average calculated over several review
periods. If an FHLB's PMAR falls below 55% over several consecutive review periods, its board of
directors will be required to submit to FHFA an explanation of the shortfall as well as a strategic plan to
restore it at or above the 70% preferred level of mission achievement. Table 1 shows the 2019 PMARs
for the 11 FHLBs.






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