WASHINGTON-Representatives of the Indiana League and affiliated credit unions met with Indiana Congressmen as well as all three NCUA board members here as part of a Washington visit. The group comprised of 10 league board and Governmental Affairs Committee members plus league senior management met with six of Indiana's 11 U.S. Representatives and Sen. Joe Donnelly during the Capitol Hill visits.
Discussions during those visits covered data breach legislation, regulatory relief, concerns about the CFPB, business lending cap relief and protecting the credit union tax status, according to the league.
The meeting with Sen. Donnelly was the same day that his bill to provide privately insured credit unions with access to the Federal Home Loan Bank System was introduced. (SB 1367(, legislation on which the league has been working with Donnelly. The meeting with the Senator was also within two days of the key Senate Banking Committee (on which he serves) mark-up of regulatory relief legislation, where he played a key role in supporting provisions favorable to credit unions.
The trip also included individual meetings with NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz, Vice Chairman Rick Metsger and Board Member Mark McWatters at NCUA's headquarters. Topics covered in those meetings included NCUA's risk-based capital proposal, the appropriate role of NCUA in examination of state-chartered federally insured credit unions, regulatory burdens-- especially for smaller credit unions, member business lending regulatory relief and concerns about the CFPB, among other topics.
"This trip was important for continued relationship building and legislative/regulatory advocacy," said League President John McKenzie. "Between this trip and the CUNA GAC hill visits in early March, we have met face-to-face with nine of the 11 members of Indiana's Congressional Delegation plus the NCUA board."
Above right, from left, League Vice Chairman Matt Lambert, Encompass FCU; League Director Kevin Ryan, Financial Center First CU; League VP Consulting & Education Joe Guilfoy; League Treasurer Karla Salisbury, KEMBA CU; League VP Governmental Affairs Chris Beaumont; League Director Kevin Sparks, Crane FCU; Sen. Joe Donnelly; Bryan Price, Indiana University CU; League Director/CUNA Director Dallas Bergl, INOVA FCU; League President John McKenzie