The USA PATRIOT ACT (“Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism”) was enacted by Congress in October 2001 in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11th. The Patriot Act provides enhanced legal authorities for the federal government to detect, deter and prevent terrorist activities. The Patriot Act affects banks in a number of ways: * Banks must collect information about their customers, including their name, address, Social Security Number, and account balances. * Banks are also required to report any suspicious activity or transactions to the government. * Additionally, banks are subject to increased scrutiny from regulators who are tasked with ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. * Banks must also have enhanced security measures in place to protect customer information from potential misuse by terrorists or criminals.