Lawmaker Plans Bill Backing Credit Union Expansion

House Rules Committee Chairman Gerald B.H. Solomon told the New York State Credit Union League on Monday that he would co-sponsor legislation permitting these nonprofit financial institutions to serve employees from unrelated companies.

Rep. Solomon, R-N.Y., is the first member of the Republican leadership to support the credit union industry's effort to overturn a July court decision restricting credit union membership to groups that share a single, common bond.

The bill may be introduced as early as next week.

"Rep. Solomon's sponsorship is an icebreaker that should trigger more active support from his colleagues who were looking for the House leadership to step forward first," said Christopher Revere, director of governmental relations for the New York league.

Banking industry officials said they will fight the bill. "They are going to have a problem selling this bill because it clearly eliminates any pretense of there being a common bond," said Edward L. Yingling, the American Banker Association's chief lobbyist. "The floodgates would be open for anyone to join any credit union they want."

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER