Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., announced he will not seek re-election in 2024. Blumenauer has served in Congress since 1996 and has supported numerous credit union priorities during his career, including the SAFE Banking Act and expanded member business lending authority. 

“We thank Rep. Blumenauer for being a strong credit union supporter throughout his time in Congress, from supporting our legislation to meeting regularly with credit unions both in Washington, D.C., and Oregon,” said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle. “He supported numerous bills that would help credit unions do more for their members, including increase member business lending and supporting cannabis business, and we wish him and his family the best.

“Rep. Earl Blumenauer has been a leader for Oregonians and for Americans since he joined Congress in 1996. He is a long-time champion of credit unions in particular, standing tall in support of our tax exemption during his long service on the House Ways and Means Committee, understanding how that tax structure benefits people and communities,” said Jennifer Wagner, EVP and chief advocacy officer, GoWest Credit Union Association. “He was also an early advocate of legislation that would allow credit unions and other financial institutions to safely serve legal cannabis businesses. It will be hard to imagine Congress without Earl Blumenauer. But as he said, he’s not done with Congress yet. In the next 14 months, we look forward to partnering with Rep. Blumenauer to move priorities forward that will help credit unions serve the more than 130 million consumers who’ve chosen them as their financial services partners.”

“Rep. Blumenauer personifies service – service to his home state and to his country. He served Oregonians well during three remarkable terms in the state legislature, where he championed education and served as a steward of how public funds are used to support consumers. He’s always led efforts to make communities more livable, supporting transportation, infrastructure, environmental sustainability…the list goes on,” said Pamela Leavitt, SVP, grassroots/political programs and legislative Affairs for Oregon at the GoWest Credit Union Association. “Credit union advocates have always known they have a leader they can trust in Earl, whether it was during his terms in the legislature, on the Multnomah County Commission, or in Congress for almost three decades now. He spent countless hours taking the time to meet with credit union advocates and their members. He’s earned this next chapter in his life, but something tells us he will still be a strong advocate for Oregon and for Portland, the city he was born in and has called home for life.”

Blumenauer was part of a bipartisan group that introduced the SAFE Banking Act in both the House and Senate in April, and offered it as an amendment to the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act.