From: Peg Eekhoff [mailto:pege@ambankiowa.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 11:04 AM
To: Comments
Subject: Comments on CRA Revisions
Peg Eekhoff
525 North Main
Sioux Center, IA 51250
March 31, 2004
Dear FDIC:
I am writing on behalf of American State Bank, a state-chartered
bank in
Sioux Center, IA. I strongly support the proposal of increasing the
asset size of banks eligible for the small bank CRA exam from $250
million
to $500 million and eliminating the holding company size limitations
will
go along way in reducing the regulatory burden of many small banks,
including my institution. Increasing the size of banks eligible for
the
small-bank streamlined CRA exam does not relieve banks from CRA
responsibilities. The growth and survival of the bank is intertwined
with
the growth and survival of the community. The change merely reduces
the
reporting requirements and costs for small bank, freeing up more
time and
money that can be better spent in service to the community the bank
is
located.