Newsroom

July 07, 2016

Berger asks DNC to drop support for USPS financial services

NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger this week reiterated NAFCU's opposition to the United States Postal Service providing financial services, a concept supported in the draft Democratic National Committee platform, and urged that DNC instead support other measures to allow credit unions to reach more consumers.

Berger submitted his letter to DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., ahead of the platform committee meeting scheduled for today and tomorrow.

In his letter, Berger noted that the USPS is going through "extreme financial challenges" and that credit unions can offer members a full range of financial services and establish long-term relationships with consumers.

"Credit unions are well-equipped to offer the under-banked with full-service financial products, but are often limited by outdated laws and overregulation," Berger wrote. He highlighted the "Financial Services for the Underserved Act of 2016" (H.R. 5541), which would allow all types of credit unions to add underserved areas to their fields of membership.

Berger also asked Wasserman Schultz to ensure that the DNC platform "recognizes the important role of community financial institutions, such as credit unions, in our economy."

He added that the platform "should call for providing these institutions regulatory relief so that they may meet the financial services needs of the American consumer."