When the federal government shuts down, Washington stalls. But the mission does not.
THE 'tude
Congress has taken an important step toward addressing America’s housing challenges through the advancement of the Housing for the 21st Century Act. But progress alone is not enough. The House and Senate must now take the critical next step: convene a formal conference committee, reconcile their differences, and produce a final bill that can be sent to the President’s desk.
Having spent many years both serving on a credit union board and leading as a CEO, I’ve had the opportunity to see governance from both sides of the table. That perspective has given me a deep appreciation for the delicate balance that must exist between management, leadership, and board oversight.
It takes some nerve to call member-owned credit unions an “illusion,” but that’s exactly what the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA) is doing in its latest advocacy campaign.
Let’s be clear—representation for small credit unions is not something new that suddenly needs to be invented.
I serve as the chief advocacy officer for the Defense Credit Union Council. Our members are credit unions on and around military installations, in veteran communities, and in towns where service is a family tradition. We see the financial realities of military life up close: frequent moves, surprise expenses, deployment separations, and the constant need for safe, affordable financial products that work in the real world—not just on paper.
In his State of the Union address on February 24, President Donald Trump is expected to focus on the economy and helping families feeling stretched despite the improved inflation and jobs picture. As Washington talks about “affordability,” a champion is sitting right under of our noses: America's 4,500 credit unions, serving 145 million households nationwide.
ICBA’s latest attack on “banks selling to credit unions” isn’t about protecting community banks. It’s about protecting ICBA.
Thursday, as president of the Endangered Small Credit Union Defense (ESCUD), I submitted a formal response letter to the National Credit Union Administration following the agency's Supervisory Priorities Webinar on February 19.
SAN DIEGO—On the whole, the credit union industry is not known for a huge amount of drama as that is not in line with the member-focused mindset of the industry. However, a planned merger between California Coast Credit Union and San Diego County Credit Union, which would create the fourth-largest credit union in California and the 16th-largest in the U.S., abruptly and loudly came to a screeching halt.