CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle issued a statement on the passing of former Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) Thursday, the day the former legislator passed away at the age of 81. Cochran served in the Senate from 1978 until 2018.

“A consummate public servant who long championed community support and resilience, Thad Cochran was a Senate icon,” Nussle said. “His continued support for the mission of America’s credit unions helped preserve the credit union tax status and in turn credit unions’ ability to uplift rural communities across the nation. Our thoughts are with his family as they lay him to rest.”

Cochran was a strong credit union supporter and met with Mississippi representatives often, including most recently during Capitol Hill visits during the 2018 CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference.