FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     

March 12, 2019 (Washington, DC) — Today at the Credit Union National Association Governmental Affairs Conference (CUNA GAC), more than 5,200 credit union professionals from around the country gathered to hear Vice President of the United States Mike Pence recognize credit unions for the vital role they play in the American economy.  

Vice President Pence, a longtime credit union champion, addressed the needs of the credit union industry and highlighted a variety of topics including economic and job growth, energy, tax reform, unemployment and wage growth.  

The Vice President said credit unions “have no greater champion” than President Donald Trump, who has signed bills into law that cut financial red tape. “Under this administration, we will empower you to do what you do best: serve your members and serve growing communities across America,” Pence said.  

In May 2018 President Donald Trump signed the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155), marking the culmination of a years-long process of advocacy to both sides of the aisle, resulting in a historic win for credit unions and the 115 million Americans they serve. “Dodd-Frank restricted your members’ choices and limited financial decisions for American consumers,” Pence said. “It was a failed law that resulted in thousands of regulations and a mountain of red tape, ultimately impacting the families and businesses you serve.”  

Pence signed a prize-linked savings bill into law when he was governor of Indiana, earning credit union members millions of dollars in prizes. And in 2016, he appointed the first-ever representative from a credit union to the Indiana Board for Depositories. As Vice President, he has continued to champion credit unions. 

“It’s a great honor to host Vice President Pence at the 2019 Credit Union National Association Governmental Affairs Conference,” said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle. “We thank him for supporting our industry and recognizing the fundamental work that credit unions do in urban and rural communities across the nation.”  

Credit union industry leaders were recognized during the Vice President’s speech, including Sara DeLance, SVP of Retail at Heritage Family CU in Rutland, Vermont, and outgoing CUNA board chairman Maurice Smith, President/CEO of Local Government Federal Credit Union in Raleigh, North Carolina.  

“The Vice President’s eagerness to join America’s credit unions at this year’s CUNA GAC is a clear illustration of his and the Administration’s support for our industry,” said Nussle. “As the Vice President mentioned, we’re proud to be a cheerleader for our members as we help them achieve their American dreams.”  

The CUNA GAC runs from March 10-14 and is the largest credit union advocacy event of the year, sending thousands of credit union leaders to Washington D.C. to network, learn about our advocacy priorities and other hot topics and meet with lawmakers to make a case for fair regulation and help them understand that our 115 million members matter. Learn more at cuna.org/gac. 

Photos are available for download here. Please credit CUNA for all photos.

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About CUNA:    

Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is the only national association that advocates on behalf of all of America’s credit unions, which are owned by 115 million consumer members. CUNA, along with its network of affiliated state credit union leagues, delivers unwavering advocacy, continuous professional growth and operational confidence to protect the best interests of all credit unions. For more information about CUNA, visit cuna.org. To find your nearest credit union, visit YourMoneyFurther.com.   

CONTACT:   

Lauren Williams  

CUNA Communications  

202-672-3396