The Chicago Crusader Newspaper

May 29, 2026 Office of the Comptroller of the Currency 400 7th Street SW Washington, DC 20219 Docket ID: OCC-2026-0430-0001 Re: Public Comment in Support of Interim Final Rule on National Bank Non-Interest Charges and Fees (12 CFR 7.4002) To the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency: The Crusader Newspaper Group respectfully submits this comment in support of the OCC’s interim final rule clarifying the authority of national banks to assess non-interest charges and fees under 12 CFR 7.4002. The Crusader Newspaper Group is one of the most enduring community press institutions in the Midwest. The Chicago Crusader has served its community for 85 years, and the Gary Crusader for 65 years. For generations, both newspapers have been trusted voices for working families and underserved communities across Chicago and Gary — advocating for equity, economic opportunity, and a fair shot for all those who have too often been left behind. It is from that long-standing commitment that we submit this comment today. Access to banking is not a privilege — it is a necessity. Across America, millions of low-income families, regardless of background or ethnicity, remain unbanked or underbanked. Without access to safe and affordable financial institutions, these families cannot open basic checking accounts, qualify for mortgages, launch small businesses, or begin the journey toward financial stability and generational wealth. A stable banking infrastructure is the foundation upon which all of these goals rest. When banking is inaccessible, low-income families of all backgrounds are left vulnerable to predatory alternatives — payday lenders, check-cashing services, and high-interest credit products that extract rather than build wealth. Initiatives such as Bank On, which provides transparent, affordable, overdraft-free accounts, represent meaningful progress in connecting underserved Americans to the financial mainstream. These products serve working families across every zip code and every community. We are deeply concerned that regulatory uncertainty around non-interest fee structures could undermine the financial sustainability of these products. As the rule’s own framework recognizes, the factors a national bank weighs in establishing non-interest fees — including the cost of providing services, competitive positioning, and the maintenance of safety and soundness — are the very factors that determine whether low-cost accounts can be offered and sustained at scale. Disrupting that framework risks pulling the ladder up on the very Americans who most depend on affordable banking access. This is, at its core, an economic inclusion matter. The stability of non-interest fee structures directly supports the ability of banks to serve low- and moderate-income communities — reducing reliance on unregulated, high-cost financial alternatives and expanding access to the tools that allow working families to thrive: savings accounts, mortgages, small business loans, and payment services. These are not benefits for the few; they are the building blocks of a stronger, more inclusive economy for all Americans. We are aligned with the position of the Chicago Urban League and other community advocates who recognize that a stable federal framework governing non-interest fees is essential to protecting access to affordable banking for underserved communities across the country. The Crusader Newspaper Group — with 150 combined years of service to working families in the Chicago and Gary communities — respectfully urges the OCC to finalize this rule and provide the regulatory clarity that institutions need to continue investing in the Americans who need it most. Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment. Respectfully submitted, Dorothy R. Leavell, Editor & Publisher, Crusader Newspaper Group Chicago, Illinois | Gary, Indiana