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"As we always do during times of economic crisis, credit unions are focusing on their members and doing all that they can to help," wrote NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger Thursday to House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif., in response to her request for information on financial services being provided to federal workers affected by the partial government shutdown.

"This assistance has taken many forms, and varies by credit union based on the needs of their members," Berger said as he outlined some of the products and services being offered. He also provided specifics from several credit unions across the nation.

"Kinecta Federal Credit Union in California has instituted assistance programs that include a 0% interest loan of up to $2,000 for 12 months, offering up to a $5,000 credit card limit with relaxed credit criteria, payment deferral, and late fees waived, and offering loan payment deferrals on all Kinecta loans," Berger highlighted as one example. "In just the first few weeks of the shutdown, they have provided 17 personal loans for $2,000 each and granted over 108 skip-payments."

Berger also noted that credit unions are publicizing their assistance programs so members know what their options are, and almost all of NAFCU's member credit unions are working "with individual members on a case-by-case basis to meet their unique needs during the shutdown if their portfolio of products does not match their needs."

"This personalized service fits in with the credit union focus on serving the financial needs of the member," Berger said. "Given that these efforts could lead to offering non-standardized products, we would encourage you in your oversight role to urge financial regulators, such as the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), to not penalize institutions during future examinations for these efforts."

Read Berger's full letter here.

In addition, five Democratic members of the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday sent an open letter to the financial services industry to ask institutions "to do everything in their power to proactively work with customers who are affected by the federal government shutdown." NAFCU will also provide them with information on credit unions' efforts.

Congress and the administration remain at odds over a solution to the shutdown, which has now lasted 35 days. President Donald Trump continues to press for full funding to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

On Thursday, the Senate failed to advance two different funding options: one would have funded the departments for the rest of the fiscal year and also included border wall funding, disaster aid and an extension of protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; the other would have funded the departments through Feb. 8 and included disaster relief money.

The House has passed multiple attempts to fund the nine shuttered departments, including piecemeal and short-term funding strategies in an attempt to reopen the government while allowing conversations on issues such as border security to continue. However, the Senate has refused to take up any legislation that doesn't have the support of the president.