By Ray Birch
WASHINGTON—As the Defense Credit Union Council opened its 2026 Defense Matters event at the Marriott Marquis, DCUC President and CEO Anthony Hernandez pointed to the American flag pin on his lapel as a reminder of why the room was gathered.
“I want to take a moment to explain why I’m wearing this flag pin,” Hernandez told attendees. With U.S. service members currently deployed overseas, he said, the work of defense credit unions is inseparable from the sacrifices of those protecting the nation.
“Their service shapes who we are and the work we do,” Hernandez said, noting credit unions serve military families, first responders, teachers and other community pillars. “We do this work because we believe in building stronger communities — and a better, brighter future.”
The gathering—DCUC’s largest Defense Matters event to date—brought together policymakers, regulators, advocates and credit union leaders for a day that blended history, policy and advocacy. Speakers ranged from Brig. Gen. Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, to members of Congress and Washington policy experts discussing issues from interchange legislation and regulatory reform to the future direction of NCUA.
“It was very interesting in today’s meeting, having one of the Tuskegee Airmen meet up with a recently retired four-star general—the juxtaposition between winning the war back then and prosecuting the war now,” Hernandez said afterward, referencing Woodhouse and Gen. (ret.) Thomas A. Bussiere, who also addressed the meeting. “We covered a lot today. I thought it was a perfect combination for our members.”
Policymakers Should Rely On CUs
The biggest message from Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL) at the event was that policymakers should rely more on credit unions and less on “top-down” solutions from Washington when addressing economic challenges.
Speaking first and then during a Q&A with Hernandez, Haridopolos said credit unions played an important role helping consumers and businesses navigate the past several years of inflation and economic uncertainty. While he sees signs of improvement in the economy — including easing inflation and stronger investment — he emphasized that major issues remain, particularly housing affordability. He said Congress should focus on creating frameworks that allow lenders and local institutions to deliver solutions rather than imposing heavy federal bureaucracy.
Haridopolos also highlighted the role credit unions play in supporting military families, noting that young service members often face financial pressures early in their careers. He praised credit unions for providing financial education and counseling that helps service members avoid falling into early credit-card debt or fraud schemes that increasingly target military households.
On payments policy, Haridopolos warned that proposals targeting credit card fees and interchange could have unintended consequences for consumers and financial institutions. He said lawmakers need accurate information from credit unions about how payment systems actually work and urged institutions to stay engaged with members of Congress — particularly through meetings back in their home districts — so policymakers understand the real-world impact of any changes.
Durbin-Marshall
Nick Simpson, managing director of communications and public affairs for the Electronic Payments Coalition, told attendees that what was supposed to be a short-term fight over the Durbin-Marshall credit card bill has turned into a sustained campaign.
EPC initially expected a vote in late 2023 or early 2024. Instead, there has been no hearing and no vote, and the bill was reintroduced this year with fewer sponsors. Simpson credited DCUC and its member credit unions for that slowdown, saying lawmakers are hearing directly from institutions that would be affected.
But he cautioned the threat remains.
“They only have to get it right once. We have to get it right every time,” he said, noting multiple legislative “vehicles” still in play this year, from the National Defense Authorization Act to appropriations and other moving bills.
Simpson argued the proposed mandates would fundamentally alter how credit cards are processed, jeopardizing fraud protection, cybersecurity, rewards programs and lending. Claims that the bill would lower prices for consumers, he said, ignore evidence from prior debit card changes showing savings were not passed on. At this point, he added, the consequences can’t be called “unintended.”
His message to credit unions heading to Capitol Hill: lead with your mission of serving military families, provide real-world examples of how mandates would affect your operations, and emphasize consumer choice. Lawmakers, he said, need to hear from hometown institutions — not just Washington lobbyists — about how complex interchange policies translate into real impacts on Main Street.
Year Ahead On Capitol Hill
Washington credit union advocate John McKechnie told attendees that while Capitol Hill logistics may be more chaotic this year — with heightened security and longer wait times to access government buildings — the policy environment is notably improved compared to 2025.
Last year, he said, the industry faced a “real, tangible” threat to the credit union tax exemption. This year is different. Thanks to sustained advocacy, he argued, credit unions successfully pushed back, and Congress has shown what he called a “heightened disinterest” in revisiting bankers’ arguments. In short: “They lost, we won.”
McKechnie suggested CU’s focus this year can somewhat shift from defense to offense. A potential housing bill moving through Congress could provide an opening to attach credit union regulatory relief. Rather than simply blocking harmful proposals, he suggested, this year may offer a rare opportunity to advance proactive wins for the industry.
Busy Year For NCUA
Elizabeth Eurgubian, partner at Atlas Advocacy and former NCUA staff member, told attendees this is shaping up to be one of the busiest regulatory years she has seen at the agency.
NCUA has already issued roughly 25 proposed rules as part of what she described as a broad “clean-up” effort — trimming outdated, duplicative and overly burdensome regulations that have accumulated over decades. DCUC is commenting on all of them, with more proposals expected in the months ahead, including larger, more consequential rulemakings.
She highlighted two key items: NCUA’s first proposed rule on stablecoins — with comments due in April — which could shape how and whether credit unions participate in that space, and a proposal to allow compensation for board members to cover dependent care costs. Eurgubian said DCUC will continue pressing to ensure regulatory changes reduce unnecessary compliance burdens while positioning credit unions to benefit from emerging opportunities.
Significant Unknown
The most significant unknown around NCUA’s leadership transition may not be whether Chairman Kyle Hauptman’s regulatory relief agenda continues — but how rulemaking proceeds while he remains the agency’s lone board member.
Eurgubian said many of Hauptman’s deregulatory efforts align closely with the Administration’s broader executive orders on regulatory relief, making it likely that a future chair would continue similar initiatives. The more technical question, she noted, is whether rules finalized by a single board member could face legal scrutiny. While that issue could theoretically be tested in court, she said it is largely academic unless someone actually challenges a rule — something she views as unlikely for smaller, incremental proposals.
McKechnie added that Hauptman has committed to staying at NCUA until his successor is confirmed, though no nominee has been named yet and the confirmation process could take months. Looking further ahead, he suggested the agency could see a major leadership reset, with the possibility of an entirely new NCUA board by the end of the year depending on nominations and potential Supreme Court decisions affecting independent agencies.
Closing out the event, Chief Advocacy Officer Jason Stverak addressed a key DCUC philosophy.
“We’re very happy, as an organization, to share what we’re doing. There’s nothing we’re not willing to put out there — we’ll send it to anyone who asks,” he explained. “Anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge college hockey fan and loyal to the University of North Dakota. I’m not exactly a big University of Minnesota fan — but I do admire Herb Brooks. One of his sayings that we use all the time is: ‘The name on the front of your jersey is more important than the name on the back.’”
“That’s how we operate as an advocacy team. It’s about the mission first and always,” Stverak said.
Separately, DCUC has released its 2026 Advocacy Priorities Toolkit and supporting handouts to help credit unions effectively navigate policy, legislative, and regulatory initiatives across the United States and overseas.