The Smart Card Alliance, an association of companies working in the smart card industry, has praised the Federal Reserve for a regulatory change which the Alliance said will help advance smart cards.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Community Investment Financial Institutions Fund is seeking research projects that will focus on different aspects of the CDFI industry, according to an announcement from the fund.

Nearly 375 banks, credit unions and other lending institutions have already been approved to participate in the Small Business Administration's month-old Patriot Express Pilot Loan program.

WASHINGTON--The total co-sponsorship of the Credit Union Regulatory Improvements Act (H.R. 1539) jumped to 119 yesterday.