Weekly Update: April 11, 2025

Your weekly advocacy update: Stay informed, take action, and champion the voice of America’s defense credit unions!

DCUC continued pushing forward this week, engaging with the Treasury Department, commending congressional repeal of harmful overregulation, and championing America's defense credit unions' interests amidst ongoing legislative discussions and priorities.

Stay up to speed as we push forward! Follow along with our weekly announcements here.

Top Priorities This Past Week

• DCUC sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promptly urging the Department to fully include credit unions—especially those serving military and veteran communities—in its 2025 Main Street regulatory reform agenda. Read more here.
  • DCUC President/CEO Anthony Hernandez applauded Secretary Bessent’s stated commitment to shifting financial regulation away from Wall Street and toward empowering community-based financial institutions.​
  • A central focus of the letter was DCUC’s call to modernize or eliminate the outdated Member Business Lending (MBL) cap, which currently restricts credit unions from lending more than 12.25% of their assets to small businesses. This cap, which does not apply to banks, significantly limits support for veteran entrepreneurs and local job creation. See DCUC’s educational video on this necessary reform here.
• DCUC celebrates the House passage of 217-211 of Senator Tim Scott’s (R-SC) joint resolution (S.J. Res. 18) to repeal the CFPB’s overdraft rule, “Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions”, restoring balance and oversight to the regulatory process.​
  
  • DCUC has consistently opposed the CFPB overdraft rule since it was first proposed in December 2024, which applies to financial institutions with more than $10 billion in assets. The rule mandates that these institutions either cap most overdraft fees at $5 or classify overdraft programs as credit under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA).
• DCUC wrote to Sarah Bang, Liaison to the Division of Governance and Executive Leadership (DOGE) at the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), commending new leadership and reaffirming support for sound fiscal management within the agency. More on the story here.​
  
  • DCUC looks forward to continued engagement with the NCUA and DOGE leadership to advance a regulatory framework that promotes operational efficiency, accountability, and value for credit unions and the communities they serve. See DCUC's press release for more information.

DCUC and Member 1st FCU Featured on ‘Good Day PA’

DCUC joined one of its newest member credit unions on ABC27's 'Good Day PA' morning news segment on Tuesday, celebrating the remarkable milestone of 75 years of service!

​President/CEO of Members 1st, Michael Wilson, and DCUC President/CEO Anthony Hernandez, gathered in the studio to share more about Members 1st FCU and what it means for Members 1st to join the Defense Credit Union Council. See the full segment here! 

Advocacy Discussions

​INTERVIEW: Meet Jason Stverak, the former Capitol Hill staffer giving our service members reliable credit unions, featured by Washington Reporter
 

• I had the honor of engaging in an interview with the Washington Reporter featured to share insights into my work at DCUC, championing the advocacy of defense credit unions on DCUC's behalf, and sharing the dedication of these institutions in supporting the financial well-being of America’s service members, veterans, and their families. Read more here.

 

From the Base to Capitol Hill: Advocating for Credit Unions with Jason Stverak of DCUC, featured by CU Examine Solutions LLC
 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts or at Credit Union Exam Solutions Inc.


 

​Let Credit Unions Stand Tall: Why Community Sponsorships Are A Bold, Rightful Investment, featured by CU Today
 

• "It seems every time a credit union dares to sponsor a sports stadium or venue, critics from the banking world grab their bullhorns. "How can tax-exempt credit unions afford this?" they cry, as if the presence of a credit union logo on a scoreboard is a betrayal of their mission. What these critics won’t tell you is this: they’ve been doing the same thing for decades, on a much bigger, much more taxpayer-supported scale..." Read more here.​

​Credit Union Leading Partners Make Significant Contribution to Defense Credit Union Advocacy

DCUC is honored to announce Allied Solutions and leading partners, Securian, Gallagher, Akuvo, Franklin Madison, and Route 66 have pledged a collective $100,000 contribution to bolster DCUC’s advocacy efforts through DCUC’s Defending Credit Unions National Advocacy Fund.

“We are truly grateful for the generosity and commitment of Allied Solutions and their esteemed partners,” said Anthony Hernandez, DCUC President/CEO. “Their support not only strengthens our efforts to champion credit union advocacy but exemplifies the spirit of cooperation and dedication that drives the defense credit union movement forward.”

Pete Hilger, President/CEO of Allied Solutions, stated, “Together, Allied Solutions and these valued partners recognize the vital role defense credit unions play in supporting military and veteran families. We are confident our contribution to DCUC will deliver meaningful solutions and advocacy that drive a lasting impact. We look forward to working together to strengthen the credit union movement and empower the financial well-being of those who serve or have served our country.”

DCUC and Allied Solutions recently announced their new strategic partnership focused on championing the interests of credit unions serving military and veteran communities. As part of DCUC’s commitment to growth and increased member value, these strategic partnerships aim to provide industry-leading solutions, educational content, and ongoing support for DCUC’s advocacy efforts on behalf of America’s defense credit unions.

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Official Announcement

DCUC and NACUC Announce Strategic Collaboration to Strengthen Credit Union Advocacy
DCUC is proud to announce a new collaboration with the National Association of Credit Union Chairs (NACUC). As part of this partnership, DCUC has joined NACUC as an associate member, while NACUC has become an affiliate organizational member of DCUC.
 
This collaboration will enhance the working relationship between the two organizations, fostering a deeper understanding of shared priorities, exchanging industry insights, and strengthening advocacy efforts to better support credit unions nationwide.
 
“This partnership is an important step toward uniting trade associations in their advocacy for the credit union movement,” said Anthony Hernandez, DCUC President/CEO. “By working together, we can amplify our efforts to protect and enhance the benefits that credit unions provide to their members, especially since all credit unions serve our nation’s veterans. Collaboration between organizations like DCUC and NACUC ensures that credit unions of all sizes and structures have a stronger voice in shaping policies that impact the industry and the communities we serve.”

"By joining forces with DCUC, we're excited to be creating a valuable resource of knowledge and advocacy for credit union leadership," added Celeste Shelton, Executive Director of NACUC.

Official Announcement

Join Our Efforts to Preserve the Credit Union Tax Status
📣 The fight isn't over! Let’s present a united front to defend our industry and members!

Join us now by using the following tools we've prepared to assist your credit union:

1. CEO Letter to Congress: Download our pre-drafted letter that CEOs can send immediately to members of Congress. Simply review, personalize as needed, and hit send.
2. Staff Action: Amplify The Message. Encourage your staff to join this effort! Download this sample letter they can send to your state Representatives and Senators. The more voices we raise, the stronger our impact.
3. Credit Union Member Letter: Offer this sample letter to your membership to empower your members to share their voices with Congress.

Use these links to find your Senators and Representatives.

Time is of the essence. We must ensure our elected officials understand that taxing credit unions will harm the very people we serve, our Nation's military personnel, veterans, and their families.

Thank you for standing with us in this critical fight.