WASHINGTON — The Defense Credit Union Council is closely tracking a fast-moving week in Washington that could determine whether Congress avoids a government shutdown while also reopening the door to controversial credit card and interchange proposals that DCUC strongly opposes.
With a Jan. 30 government funding deadline approaching, congressional leaders have announced a tentative agreement covering roughly $1.2 trillion in remaining federal spending. According to Jason Stverak, chief advocacy officer at the Defense Credit Union Council, House leaders are expected to attempt floor passage as early as Thursday.
“The margins are razor thin,” Stverak said, noting that any disruption — procedural or political — could complicate passage in both chambers.
An administrative “hiccup” has already altered the timeline. Three minibus spending packages that passed the House last week were not formally transmitted to the Senate and are now expected to be folded into a single, comprehensive bill. As a result, the Senate is likely to vote next week on one consolidated package to fund the government through the rest of the fiscal year, Stverak explained.
DCUC has repeatedly warned that shutdown brinkmanship disproportionately harms servicemembers and their families.
“Our hope is that Congress fully funds the government and does not use our nation’s armed forces — including the Coast Guard — as a political pawn,” Stverak said.
At the same time, DCUC is sounding alarms about renewed legislative risk on credit card policy. Stverak said the trade group is monitoring what he described as a “Frankenstein” set of proposals combining a 10% credit card interest-rate cap with the Durbin–Marshall interchange framework — ideas that could reemerge in unexpected legislative vehicles.
Particular attention is on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which is scheduled to mark up digital-asset market-structure legislation. With Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) serving on the committee, DCUC sees the markup as a potential opening for credit card or interchange provisions to be attached despite having never advanced as standalone bills.
“That’s a bad process,” Stverak said. “These are proposals that would have a dramatic impact on the nation’s economy, and they haven’t received proper hearings.”
DCUC has already stepped up outreach to lawmakers, particularly members not serving on the committees of jurisdiction, to explain the potential consequences of the proposals. Stverak said many offices are only now hearing from constituents and stakeholders about the issue for the first time.
“We’ve been helping lead the opposition,” he said, “and we’ll continue educating every member of Congress as this unfolds.”