The Credit Union Value Proposition
Congress has provided the credit union federal tax-exemption because of the not-for-profit, cooperative structure of credit unions, and the special mission credit unions have to serve consumers. The credit union tax status is not based on the size of credit unions or the products and services that they offer; it is based on the credit union structure. This rationale for the tax-exempt status has been ratified several times by Congress.

Regulatory Burden
Concerns regarding bank and credit union examinations increase during difficult economic times. In a recent survey conducted by CUNA, nearly 30% of credit unions reporting dissatisfaction with their most recent exam. Congress is considering legislation to bring fairness to the examination process.

Examination Fairness 
Concerns regarding bank and credit union examinations increase during difficult economic times. In a recent survey conducted by CUNA, nearly 30% of credit unions reporting dissatisfaction with their most recent exam. Congress is considering legislation to bring fairness to the examination process.

Privacy Notification
The Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion Act would provide benefits for both credit unions and their members, by streamlining compliance burden and enhancing greater member awareness of the credit union’s privacy policies.

Housing Finance Reform
As Congress considers comprehensive housing finance reform, it is imperative that the new system facilitate credit union lending so that credit unions may continue to be a source of reliable mortgage credit for their members.

Supplemental Capital
Congress should enact the Capital Access for Small Businesses and Jobs Act (H.R. 719), which would modify the definition of credit union net worth to include supplemental forms of capital for credit unions and allow the regulator to develop risk based capital standards for the purposes of prompt corrective action (PCA).

Member Business Lending
Congress should enact the Credit Union Small Business Jobs Creation Act (H.R. 688), which would allow well-capitalized credit unions operating near the business lending cap to increase their business loan offerings to 27.5% of total assets, if they receive approval by the NCUA. This approach has been endorsed by the Obama administration

Interchange Fees 
The Merchant Payment Coalition continues their effort to reduce the fees merchants pay in order to accept payment cards.  While these groups continue to raise this issue with Congress, much of the more recent action is taking place in the courts and in state legislatures.