The Director may, subject to such rules and regulations, including definitions of terms used in this paragraph, as the Director shall from time to time prescribe, authorize Federal Home Loan Banks to be drawees of, and to engage in, or be agents or intermediaries for, or otherwise participate or assist in, the collection and settlement of (including presentment, clearing, and payment of, and remitting for), checks, drafts, or any other negotiable or nonnegotiable items or instruments of payment drawn on or issued by members of any Federal Home Loan Bank or by institutions which are eligible to make application to become members pursuant to section 1424 of this title, and to have such incidental powers as the Director shall find necessary for the exercise of any such authorization.

A Federal Home Loan Bank shall make charges, to be determined and regulated by the Director consistent with the principles set forth in section 248a(c) of this title, or utilize the services of, or act as agent for, or be a member of, a Federal Reserve bank, clearinghouse, or any other public or private financial institution or other agency, in the exercise of any powers or functions pursuant to this paragraph.

The Director is authorized, with respect to participation in the collection and settlement of any items by Federal Home Loan Banks, and with respect to the collection and settlement (including payment by the payor institution) of items payable by Federal savings and loan associations and Federal mutual savings banks, to prescribe rules and regulations regarding the rights, powers, responsibilities, duties, and liabilities, including standards relating thereto, of such Federal Home Loan Banks, associations, or banks and other parties to any such items or their collection and settlement. In prescribing such rules and regulations, the Director may adopt or apply, in whole or in part, general banking usage and practices, and, in instances or respects in which they would otherwise not be applicable, Federal Reserve regulations and operating letters, the Uniform Commercial Code, and clearinghouse rules.