WASHINGTON— After an 11-day recess, Congress is returning to Capitol Hill this week, though a winter snowstorm stretching from Virginia to Boston forced House leaders to cancel votes Monday, delaying formal legislative action as members travel back to Washington.
The more pressing issue awaiting lawmakers is the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which remains unfunded amid a standoff over border and immigration spending. While some travel-related disruptions — including a briefly floated plan to suspend TSA PreCheck and Global Entry processing — were reversed over the weekend, the broader funding impasse continues.
Jason Stverak, chief advocacy officer for the Defense Credit Union Council, said the stalemate is now centered largely on disagreements over ICE and border-security funding.
“They kicked the can down the road on the most difficult issue,” Stverak said, noting both parties appear “100% dug in.” He added that, in his view, the sides are currently “farther apart than we were a week or two weeks ago,” though an agreement could still materialize quickly if negotiations shift.
The shutdown has real-world implications for Coast Guard personnel — who fall under DHS — and are continuing operations without pay. Credit unions serving military and Coast Guard communities have stepped in with temporary loan forbearance and other relief, but Stverak emphasized that such measures “do not replace a permanent paycheck.”
Beyond the shutdown, attention is also turning to this week’s State of the Union address. Stverak said affordability will likely dominate the speech, with potential renewed discussion of a 10% federal credit-card rate cap and interchange legislation backed by some members of Congress.
DCUC has strongly opposed both proposals, arguing they would limit credit unions’ ability to serve service members, veterans, and small businesses. Stverak said the trade group hopes the Administration instead works collaboratively with credit unions and other financial institutions to address affordability challenges without restricting access to credit.
America’s Credit Unions SVP of Advocacy Greg Mesack said ACU will be closely watching the President’s address Tuesday night for any comments on credit card or interchange legislation.
“Our position very clear on it (10% cap),” Mesack stated Monday during a call with the media. “We've made our position clear on the impact (of a cap) on working-class and middle-class Americans—and we'll continue to tell that story should (President Trump) bring up (a 10% cap).”
Mesack noted Trump has made a big push on housing affordability.
“And credit unions have an important role to play in providing affordable housing,” Mesack reminded. “We provide mortgage loans that are unique and tailored to our members, so, any opportunity we have to provide more flexibility and put more people into homes, we will pursue it…We also believe the President will talk a lot about housing affordability in the State of the Union address, so, we’ll be watching for that very closely.”
America’s Credit Unions President and CEO Scott Simpson outlined the trade group’s top priority this week and next: its Governmental Affairs Conference, set for March 1–5 in Washington at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
“We are up to our necks in preparations for the GAC,” Simpson said Monday. “We are very excited about that. It is the largest gathering of the credit union family and obviously it’s very exciting to have that family gathered here—and perfect timing given what messaging we need to deliver to policymakers, both at the executive branch level but particularly in the legislative branch.”