WASHINGTON–The new trade group America’s Credit Unions is hitting Capitol Hill at the same time America’s Congress is facing an even more difficult battle in getting any legislation passed.
Several recent resignations from Congress or pending resignations by Republicans have narrowed an already narrow majority even further. Most recently Rep. Bill Johnson (R—OH) said he will be leaving on Jan. 21 to become president of Youngstown State University. With Johnson’s resignation, Republicans will have 219 seats to Democrats’ 213. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has stepped down, and a special election is being held in February to replace former Rep. George Santos (R-NY). On the Democratic side Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) is also planning to leave to take a role at a performing arts center.
Another Complication
Complicating matters further is that Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), the majority leader in the House, is taking leave for treatment of multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer.
All of that change creates a “huge hurdle” for legislation to pass, said Greg Mesack of America’s Credit Unions. “It makes it harder as the GOP majority narrows. Basically, there’s a non-existent margin for error. (The GOP) is torn between their far-right conservative wing and their more moderate wing, and unless they can get them 100% united they are going to have to work with Democrats, which makes it even more challenging to pass legislation.”
And Yet Another Complication
And then there is another big complication.
“Every single day we get closer to the election each side has to watch their flanks, which makes it harder to work across the aisle,” Mesack added.
America’s Credit Unions’ Jason Stverak acknowledged those challenges in this term of Congress, but said it also creates some opportunities in terms of grassroots efforts by credit unions and the ability to get behind “credit union champions” to lay a foundation for “future conversations.”
Notes on PAC
Separately, both Stverak and Mesack said work is proceeding to combine CUNA’s Credit Union Legislative Action Committee (CULAC) and NAFCU PAC, which remain separate for now.
Mesack said lawyers are working through the necessary legal steps to combine the two PACs and to stay in compliance with election laws and Federal Elections Commission regulations.
“None of us look good in orange jump suits,” joked Stverak of the efforts to maintain compliance.
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