WASHINGTON–A member of Congress who is also a former credit union employee offered a positive message about his former employer in remarks to America’s Credit Unions GAC.

Rep. Pete Aguilar, a Democrat who represents the 33rd district of California and who for eight years worked at Arrowhead Credit Union, years working for Arrowhead Credit Union, told the meeting it was “good to be back” and that he has carried “life lessons” from his credit union days into his public life, including “fighting for the little guy and giving working people the financial services and the options that they need to support their own economic mobility.”

Aguilar said too many people have become “distrustful” of the institutions in their lives “because they rightly feel that they’re being taken advantage of.” 

He praised credit unions for putting the needs of members first and not prioritizing shareholder dividends, before addressing the issue on everyone’s mind.

‘A Little Topsy-Turvy’

“I know right now times in Washington seem a little topsy-turvy right now. But you guys are here during a very interesting week. It’s my hope that by working together we can cut through the noise and pass common sense legislation that makes credit unions stronger, because when you succeed our communities succeed, and it’s the communities like the one I represent in San Bernardino that benefit the most from the services that you offer,” he said.