WASHINGTON – America’s Credit Unions has released its 2026 credit union advocacy priorities, which it said will guide it overall during the 119th Congress. The association’s board approved these priorities Dec. 2.
“Last year proved the strength of the credit union family when we come together,” President and CEO Scott Simpson said in a statement. “Faced with the deepest threat to the industry in over a decade, through clear objectives and a unified voice, we were able to unite and protect the credit union tax status, in addition to achieving significant wins for the CDFI Fund, regulatory relief at the NCUA and CFPB, and more. We showed lawmakers that credit unions are essential to our nation’s ability to thrive. In partnership with leagues and credit unions, we are committed to working cooperatively and collaboratively, from the federal level to state legislatures, to advance, empower and protect credit unions and the more than 144 million Americans who choose credit unions as their trusted financial institution.”
The advocacy priorities include:
Advance and Expand Access to Credit Unions
“More consumers and businesses should have the opportunity to experience the benefits of credit union membership. We will work to expand access to low-cost affordable financial services, while fighting efforts that seek to establish unnecessary regulatory burdens, such as the Community Reinvestment Act, or efforts to stop or slow credit union growth, from limiting mergers and acquisitions to modernizing field of membership provisions.
“We are committed to working across all avenues that increase access, such as expanding lending and housing development opportunities, increasing the member business lending limit, supporting financial literacy efforts, and standing by Community Development Financial Institutions credit unions.”
Modernize the Credit Union Charter
“We support a competitive dual-chartering system and will work to revamp outdated credit union charter provisions that impede growth and the ability to best serve all members. This includes but is not limited to supporting greater investment opportunities so credit unions can more effectively manage their balance sheets, reinvest in their members, and further support their communities.”
Establish a Federal Data Protection Standard
“We support a comprehensive national data security and privacy standard that preempts state laws, accounts for credit unions’ existing compliance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and includes robust security requirements that apply to all who collect or hold personal data. We are focused on helping credit unions protect consumers’ and small businesses’ financial data and holding negligent actors accountable.”
Empower and Enhance Fraud Prevention
“With fraud on the rise, credit unions should be equipped to combat fraud in all its forms. We will fight to establish improved mechanisms and tools to protect credit union members and prevent fraud.
“Additionally, we are focused on modernizing federal standards to ensure credit unions are not forced to shoulder disproportionate fraud costs compared to third parties like non-bank payment providers and data aggregators.”
Reform CFPB Structure & Rulemaking
“The CFPB should be reformed to feature a bipartisan commission structure subject to the congressional appropriations process to enhance stability, transparency, and oversight of the agency. We are also committed to advocating for rulemaking that remains within the confines of statutory mandates, greater adherence to the notice-and-comment rulemaking process, and a requirement for meaningful cost-benefit analysis in rulemaking.”
Expand Innovation Opportunities
“The financial services landscape is evolving rapidly with new technologies and products emerging regularly. Credit unions should have more flexibility and authority to develop, incorporate, and adopt technologies that meet the needs of their members, including but not limited to digital assets and other payments innovations, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. We will ensure credit unions have parity in legislation and advocate for appropriately tailored regulations for credit unions of all sizes to facilitate innovation and growth and allow credit unions to remain competitive.”
Protect and Reinforce the Credit Union Tax Status
“The credit union tax status is an integral part of credit unions’ structure, helping them achieve their mission of “people helping people.” We are steadfast in our commitment to preserving the credit union tax status to advance communities, improve the financial future for all people, and keep local economies strong.”
Protect Interchange
“We fight to protect affordable access to credit and ensure consumers continue to receive the protections and benefits made possible through ubiquitous access to electronic payments supported by interchange fees. At both the federal and state levels, we are committed to combatting retailers’ efforts to further line their pockets at the expense of consumers”
Support a Strong, Independent Credit Union Regulatory Regime
“Ensuring that credit unions have a strong, independent regulator with a full bipartisan Board that understands their unique challenges and needs is critical to the safety and soundness of the industry. We will aim to fortify the National Credit Union Administration to enhance its ability to safeguard credit unions while simultaneously working to ensure the promulgation of right-sized regulations and prevention of supervisory overreach.”
