Foreign banking has had a great expansion in the United States. This evolution has been accompanied by a variety of questions and concerns on the part of the public, American legislators and regulators, and American bankers. Many of these concrns have been allayed by the passage of the International Banking Act. Some nevertheless remain. To evalute them, I will begin by setting forth the benefits that foreign banks have brought to the United States. Then I will take a look at the principles that have guided and, I believe, should continue to guide United States’ policy in this regard.
