Making lawmaker and candidate connections in district

Summer is winding down and we have two more weeks of August recess to make those personal connections with federal lawmakers while they are home in the district. I can tell you those in-person meetings make a big difference to members of Congress, hearing directly from constituents who are working to help people and their community.

Whether it’s at the national conventions like the Democratic National Convention this week where credit union leaders interacted with elected officials and candidates, or meeting at your credit union – those conversations keep our unified voice at the forefront.

GECU in El Paso, Texas, did just that when meeting with Congresswoman Veronica Escobar. She came to their operations center, hearing all about community development and lending efforts from their leadership team, then returned the favor with a legislative update.

These in-district efforts by credit unions and state Leagues are a great way to help lawmakers better understand who and what we do – and the issues that matter most to us.

I urge you to share your local meetings with lawmakers with us, and then get ready for even more interactions during our Congressional Caucus in two weeks as we discuss the issues and challenges ahead.

Join your peers this fall - you’ll love these locations!

• Congressional Caucus | Sept. 8 – 11 in Washington, D.C.
• Operations & Member Experience Council and Technology Council Conference | Oct. 6 – 9 in Anaheim
• Lending Conference | Nov. 3 -6 in Nashville
• Supervisory Committee & Internal Audit Conference | Dec. 9 – 11 in Las Vegas

View the remaining lineup

Fighting Back Against Banker Misinformation

We swiftly debunked claims from a former credit union executive turned banker in an op-ed published in American Banker Wednesday. Chief Advocacy Officer Carrie Hunt outlined the misinformation and misdirection shared by the now-community banker about the credit union tax status, banks selling to credit unions, and small business lending efforts.

NCUA regulatory review comments

You all know that regulatory burden is a challenge – and we take every opportunity and avenue to address it.  We weighed in this week on ways to reduce regulatory burden on federally insured credit unions with the NCUA, as part of the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act (EGRPRA) ten year review.

Read our comments here

Relentless advocacy to advance, empower, and protect credit unions:

• Credit union-supported candidates won in Alaska, Florida and Wyoming primaries this week. We continue with our 98% success rate this primary season.
• Credit union loans outstanding increased 0.5% in June, compared to a 0.5% increase in May of 2024 and a 0.7% increase in June 2023, according to our latest Monthly Credit Union Estimates.
• The Iowa Credit Union Foundation distributed $50,000 in grants to address barriers and increase financial inclusion in the state. The first in a three-year “Financial Inclusion Grant Program” directed funding to minority-serving organizations in areas the Foundation identified in a statewide report: affordable housing, business ownership, childcare, education, employment and health access and outcomes.