The Senate returns this week and the House will return next week. There is still much to be done and it is unlikely that Congress will get to everything related to credit unions before the election. Here is a summary of the decisions and legislation that remain.
The House on Friday passed an FY21 spending measure that would increase Community Development Financial Institutions funding by $11.5 million and set aside $2 million for a pilot test of postal banking.
Voting 217-197, the House passed H.R. 7617, which combines six of the annual appropriations bills, including the Financial Services spending measure.
The House Appropriations Committee Wednesday approved an FY21 financial services spending measure that includes an $11.5 million boost for the Community Development Financial Institutions program. Voting 30-22, the committee approved the bill that would provide $273.5 million for the program in FY21. The bill also would provide the NCUA’s Community Development Revolving Loan Fund with $2 million in FY21. The program received $950,00 this year. Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.) told the committee that the CDFI program has worked extremely well in areas of his district. The Trump Administration has proposed eliminating the program in each of its budgets. The report
The National Credit Union Administration has exhausted all available funds for coronavirus crisis urgent needs grants and no new applications will be accepted, agency officials announced Wednesday.
The House Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee Wednesday approved an FY21 spending measure that calls for $273.5 million for the Community Development Financial Institutions program—less than what many credit unions wanted.
The House Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday will consider FY21 spending legislation that would provide $273.5 million for the Community Development Financial Institution program.
That would represent an $11.5 million increase from this year’s total, but much less than program advocates wanted. Wednesday’s markup of the financial services funding bill is the first step in the FY21 CDFI appropriations process.
As the coronavirus crisis drags on, the National Credit Union Administration board announced at its Thursday meeting that it will delay its phased-in reopening of the agency and approved a plan to explore expansion of virtual examinations of credit unions.
In a wish list sent to every office on Capitol Hill Tuesday, the Credit Union National Association renewed its call to allow expanded business lending by credit unions for one year to help businesses weather the coronavirus pandemic. A one-year exemption from the current Member Business Lending cap would open up some $5 billion for investment and could create as many as 50,000 jobs, CUNA said.
“We can do more.”
That was the message National Credit Union Administration board member Todd Harper delivered Thursday, as he outlined his preliminary plans to increase the importance of economic equality and justice in the credit union community.
The NCUA will now count military personnel in determining whether a credit union qualifies for the agency’s low-income designation.