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Before heading out for the first afternoon of meetings on Capitol Hill, credit unions at NAFCU's Congressional Caucus received tips from congressional staff on how to hold effective meetings, as well as updates on key issues. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-Mo., chair of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance, also touted credit union efforts to provide financial services to those in need.

NAFCU Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel Carrie Hunt moderated a panel discussion with NAFCU Vice President of Legislative Affairs Brad Thaler and two Hill staffers: Chris Brown, senior professional staff for the House Financial Services Committee  Republicans, and Calli Shapiro, legislative director for Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill.

The panel discussed the status of issues credit unions will likely be advocating on this week, including housing, marijuana banking, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)/anti-money laundering (AML) and cybersecurity. Thaler noted that while NAFCU is a leader in calling for a national data security standard, Congress is also considering data privacy measures due to the amount of personal information that is stolen in breaches that can be used to steal identities or create fake credit profiles.

For those who will be meeting with legislative offices this week, Shapiro and Brown advised attendees to keep conversations personal – focused on the lawmaker's constituents, how they are impacted by certain bills, and the role credit unions play in the community. Brown also encouraged credit unions to research legislation the member of Congress has introduced or supported, and Shapiro recommended providing offices with the basics on an issue to ensure they have the context of the situation.

Clay, during his address to Caucus attendees, highlighted his work with credit unions to reduce the number of unbanked families in the U.S. to increase financial stability.

"Credit unions are beacons of pride, strength and financial stability, especially in underserved communities," Clay said, adding that "when big banks turned their backs on communities of color, credit unions treated us with respect."

He noted that through his various assignments as member of the House Financial Services Committee, he fought predatory lending, unfair credit practices, reckless financial abuses primarily targeting minority and lower-income communities. He called on credit unions to help those in need get on the right path with financial literacy, specifically noting the importance of saving and dangers of payday lenders.

NAFCU's Congressional Caucus continues through tomorrow. See today's lineup of speakers and get updates through NAFCU Today or #NAFCUCaucus on Twitter.