256
Opinion of the Court
ity Life Ins. Co. v. Clark[e], 13 F. 3d 833, 837-838 (CA5 1994).1 We granted certiorari. 511 U. S. 1141 (1994).
II
A
Authorizing national banks to "carry on the business of banking," the National Bank Act provides that such banks shall have power—
"To exercise . . . all such incidental powers as shall be necessary to carry on the business of banking; by discounting and negotiating promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange, and other evidences of debt; by receiving deposits; by buying and selling exchange, coin, and bullion; by loaning money on personal security; and by obtaining, issuing, and circulating notes . . . . The business of dealing in securities and stock by the [bank] shall be limited to purchasing and selling such securities and stock without recourse, solely upon the order, and for the account of, customers, and in no case for its own account, and the [bank] shall not underwrite any issue of securities or stock . . . ." 12 U. S. C. § 24 Seventh (1988 ed. and Supp. V).
As the administrator charged with supervision of the National Bank Act, see §§ 1, 26-27, 481, the Comptroller bears primary responsibility for surveillance of "the business of banking" authorized by § 24 Seventh. We have reiterated:
" 'It is settled that courts should give great weight to any reasonable construction of a regulatory statute adopted by the agency charged with the enforcement of that statute. The Comptroller of the Currency is charged with the enforcement of banking laws to an extent that warrants the invocation of this principle with
1 The dissenters also observed that 6 of the court's 13 active judges were disqualified from participating in the case. 13 F. 3d, at 834.
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