Credit Union Leaders Meet with Congressional Delegations

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Cornerstone League’s political arms, Arkansas Credit Union Association and Texas Credit Union Association, have been on Capitol Hill over the last week to speak with lawmakers about the importance of preserving the credit union tax status.

Arkansas

The Arkansas delegation met with Reps. French Hill, Bruce Westerman, and Steve Womack and Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton.

Arkansas credit union leaders included:

• Diamond Lakes FCU President/CEO Tammy Passafiume
• UP Arkansas FCU President/CEO Karyn Davis
• Arkansas Credit Union Association Executive Director Cara Tharp

Advocates shared information about the affordable services they can provide to their members, as well as the impact they can make in their local communities because of their not-for-profit status. Some highlights included the discussion of financial literacy programs, reality fairs, and second-chance checking accounts. 

“We enjoyed getting to meet with Congressman French Hill on a very busy day for the House Financial Services Committee, which he chairs,” said Tharp. “Thank you to Diamond Lakes Federal Credit Union and UP Federal Credit Union for sharing your stories with Arkansas’s federal delegation about the credit union difference!” 

Texas

The Texas contingent met with 11 different legislative offices on Tuesday, as captured in CU Today. Visits included House Ways and Means Committee members Reps. Beth Van Duyne, Nathaniel Moran, and Jodey Arrington, who also chairs the House Budget Committee; House Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams; and Reps. Monica De La Cruz, Jake Ellzey, Veronica Escobar, Lizzie Fletcher, Brandon Gill, Craig Goldman, Chip Roy, Keith Self, and Pete Sessions.  

Texas credit union leaders included:

• First Service Credit Union President/CEO Dave Bleazard
• First Service Credit Union Director of Political Advocacy and Community Relations Steve Gilman
• Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Relations Salvador Guererro
• Caprock Federal Credit Union CEO Dale Hansard
• Texas Credit Union Association Executive Director Jessica Karlsruher
• Cornerstone League EVP/Chief Advocacy Officer Jim Phelps

Looking ahead, additional lawmaker visits have been scheduled throughout May and June. Please connect with the executive directors of your state association if you would like to attend an upcoming fly-in.