CUNA is expecting to deliver more than 660,000 signatures on petitions supporting the credit union tax-exemption to members of Congress when it hosts its annual Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) this week.
More than 4,000 people are projected to be on hand for the meeting at the Washington Hilton, the largest annual gathering of credit unions each year. Approximately 1,600 people will "Hike the Hill" to deliver the petitions, while CUNA said hundreds more will be delivering petitions to the local offices of representatives at the district and state levels.
"The aim of the petition drive is to graphically show members of Congress that credit union members are ready and willing to show their support for maintaining their credit unions' tax exemption," CUNA said. The petition notes, "We, the undersigned, agree that a tax on our credit union is a tax on us and all" 86 million credit union members nationwide.
Approximately 35 credit union leagues participated in the petition drives. About 20 league contingents will deliver the petitions to their U.S. representatives and senators in Washington; 15 will deliver the signatures back in the home districts.
"This is just an opening salvo of the support of members for their credit unions that we plan to show Congress as the discussion of tax reform begins in Washington," said CUNA's John McKechnie, senior vice president of governmental affairs. "As the dialog continues, we will have much more to show the nation's lawmakers about credit union support and the impact credit unions have on all consumers of financial services."
The Credit Union Journal will provide complete coverage of the meeting.
