ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA on Thursday offered a behind-the-scenes look at how its sweeping Deregulation Project was conceived and developed, with Sierra Robinson explaining during the agency’s 2026 Supervisory Priorities webinar that the initiative grew out of a deliberate, agency-wide reassessment of its mission, regulatory posture and role in the credit-union system.
Robinson, director of NCUA's Office of External Affairs and Communications, said the effort was shaped in part by clear direction from NCUA Chairman Kyle Hauptman, who has emphasized that the agency should not engage in “regulation by enforcement,” as well as by a pair of executive orders issued last year focused on deregulation and agency accountability.
Those orders, Robinson said, reinforced the principle that federal regulations should be clear, formally adopted rules — not informal guidance — and should avoid creating unnecessary barriers for small businesses and communities seeking to grow and innovate. Against that backdrop, NCUA leadership and staff stepped back to reassess the agency’s mission and how regulation could better support, rather than hinder, the credit-union movement.
As part of that reassessment, Robinson said the agency developed what she described as a new “north star” mission statement: enabling access to financial services by facilitating safe, sound and resilient credit unions. The mission, she said, has been rolled out gradually in recent months and will be formally reflected in NCUA’s forthcoming strategic plan and annual performance plan.
To operationalize that mission, Robinson said NCUA staff — including longtime career examiners — conducted a comprehensive review of the agency’s regulations, reading the entire Code of Federal Regulations applicable to credit unions from start to finish. The goal was to identify provisions that were obsolete, duplicative, overly burdensome or effectively operating as guidance rather than enforceable rules.
That review led to the development of multiple phases of deregulation, with the initial rounds focused squarely on those four categories. Robinson said the intent was to streamline or clarify requirements in a way that allows credit unions of all sizes to concentrate on serving members while preserving safety and soundness.
To date, she said, the agency has issued 19 notices of proposed rulemaking under the Deregulation Project, with additional proposals expected. More detail on the initiative, including each phase, is available on NCUA’s Deregulation Project page.
Robinson said the agency is continuing to solicit feedback from credit unions and stakeholders as the project moves forward.