The Mountain West Credit Union Association (MWCUA) Government Affairs team led a CEO-level Hike the Hill in Washington, D.C. the week of October 28 to discuss policies and regulations that are of great importance to credit unions and our members.
The group, headed up by the MWCUA government affairs team, included CEOs from all three of the Association’s states, Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming. It was a chance for a smaller group to spend time with legislators from each of their states, as well as time meeting with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Senate Banking Committee staff.
“Smaller groups like this gives us a chance to build on our relationships with legislators, as well as giving us time to express our concerns and priorities to regulatory agencies and committees,” said Scott Earl, President and CEO of MWCUA, who helped lead the trip. “This CEO group brought tremendous knowledge and personal accounts of what their members, and members of credit unions everywhere, need their legislators to know on their behalf.”
The group met with Jennifer Stockett, Acting Assistant Director of the CFPB, the majority staff of the Senate Banking committee, Representative Liz Cheney (WY), Representative Doug Lamborn (CO), Senator Martha McSally (AZ) and Representative Greg Stanton (AZ). In addition to reiterating the importance of preserving credit unions’ tax status, the team discussed our positions on topics including the National Defense Authorization Act, Bank Secrecy Act Modernization, the SAFE Banking Act, Data Security and stopping robocalls.
CEOs making the trip included Alan Althouse, TruWest Credit Union (AZ); Jay Curtis, First Credit Union (AZ); Greg Mills, Aventa Credit Union (CO); Kurt Thelen, Campco Federal Credit Union (WY); and Jim Yates, First Education Federal Credit Union (WY).
In addition to this Washington, D.C. Hike, the MWCUA team has been hosting roundtables and meetings with state and local legislators across the region throughout the summer. Keeping credit unions and credit union interests at the forefront with our elected officials is a top advocacy priority.
MWCUA President & CEO Scott Earl, Jim Yates (First Education FCU), Jay Curtis (First CU), Alan Althouse (TruWest CU), Kurt Thelen (Campco FCU), Greg Mills (Aventa CU).