Newsroom

April 29, 2013 – With Congress in recess, lawmakers are in their home districts this week, and NAFCU is encouraging credit unions to use this time for direct contacts on issues important to them and their members.

Several bills have been introduced so far – one of them has cleared the House – that would implement key elements of NAFCU's five-point plan for credit union regulatory relief. These include:

• H.R. 688, the "Credit Union Small Business Jobs Creation Act," introduced by Reps. Ed Royce, R-Calif., and Carolyn McCarthy, R-Calif.;
• H.R. 719, the "Capital Access for Small Businesses and Jobs Act," introduced by Reps. Pete King, R-N.Y., and Brad Sherman, D-Calif.;
• H.R. 749, the "Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion Act," introduced by reps. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., and Sherman, and passed by the House March 12
• S. 635, the "Privacy Notice Modernization Act" (similar to H.R. 749) and introduced by Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Jerry Moran, R-Kan.

Katie Marisic, NAFCU's director of political affairs, said it's important that lawmakers hear from their credit union constituents on the very real need for relief from burdensome new rules.

"This week, we're encouraging credit unions to contact their members of Congress at home to talk to them about the need for these bills and the other elements of our five-point plan," said Marisic. "Those contacts can be made by phone, during in-person visits to district offices, at the credit union branch and in community town hall meetings.

"Ask your representative or senator to cosponsor the above regulatory relief measures. If they are already cosponsors, thank them. The contacts that will count the most toward securing real relief will be from you."

For lawmakers' contact information, dial the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or visit NAFCU's grassroots action center.