Oct. 22, 2012 – NAFCU Executive Vice President of Government Affairs Dan Berger is featured in an Oct. 19 article in CEO Update that examines how associations can most effectively influence members of Congress during the pre- and post-election periods.
The article, “Nearing election, associations poised to ramp up lobbying,” written by Mark Tarallo, notes that NAFCU “stays active on the Hill around election time” and “has a practice of making personal contact with all members sometime after the election.”
Berger points out that in-person visits with winning candidates are about respecting their time. To that end, the social portion of such visits are limited so NAFCU’s lobbyists can move quickly to the business at hand. “There’s an ask involved,” Berger says.
The article also notes that NAFCU maintains relationships with every lawmaker on every relevant committee, on both sides of the political aisle. That way, NAFCU already has a relationship to build on if any of these lawmakers are tapped for a committee chair. “We don’t wait until the election,” Berger notes.