The evolution of terrorism has caused legislators and government officials to ramp up security and create new protocols for handling and containing this problem. In 2001, President George W. Bush signed the USA Patriot Act into law. Believe it or not, this actually stands for : Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.

The focus of this initiative lies in the banking sector and the prevention of money being laundered and funneled to terrorist organizations. The implementation of this act, sent shockwaves globally and forced other countries to comply with these changes in the law. Every financial institution now has Patriot Act signage, as well as other bank supplies, that signify these changes and make the public aware that they comply with these laws.

Fifteen years removed and the Patriot Act signage has become part of standard issue bank supplies that every financial institution must display in plain view of the public. The tracing and examination of all bank transfers are analyzed to ensure that no suspicious activity exists. Should nefarious transactions be exposed, the bank can actually be shut down and dissolved.

Signage, decals and emblems are all part of the major effort to brand awareness about terroristic activities and to send a signal that laundering money to support these types of organizations will not be tolerated.

Title 3 is the section of this new act that involves these institutions. The International Money Laundering Abatement and Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 is the provision that facilitates the prevention and prosecution of money laundering rings around the world. Passing of this bill also increased the communication channels between organizations in the fight against smugglers and counterfeiters, especially in the areas of foreign currency.

There are several different types of USA Patriot Act signage that is considered to be acceptable for display at banking institutions. The letter-sized single-sided notice that has the American flag and basic information is the most widely used. There are also countertop displays that can be placed on deposit stations throughout the branch, as customers fill out their deposit slips.

Lastly, for those that wish to read up on changes or new developments in the USA Patriot Act, handy brochures give detailed information and further resources to educate yourself about the policies that are being implemented.

These bank supplies might be overlooked or considered not important to many patrons of banking institutions, but federal law mandates that these items are displayed for anyone that wants to know more about the policies. Most of us do not transfer money out of the United States, so the USA Patriot Act might seem like more bureaucratic red tape. This signage becomes more important to those people that deal with several different types of foreign currency or make several transfers to other countries throughout the year.

In 2016 America, the political climate has turned towards immigration, securing borders and wiping out terrorism. This discussion has resulted in dozens of new “tighter” regulated bills being passed in Congress. Even with all of the new regulations, the USA Patriot Act is still the torchbearer that financial institutions are required to follow and until something else comes along and replaces those laws, we will continue to see USA Patriot Act banking supplies at our local bank branch.