State CU Champion EyesCongress

HARRISBURG, Pa. - (10/25/04) -- Credit unions in the Keystone Statehave a chance to help elect candidates to two open House seats nextweek, including one of their champions in the state legislature.That is Democrat Allyson Schwartz, chairman of the state SenateBanking Committee who proved her credit union bona fides in 2002 byco-sponsoring the state's credit union parity bill. Schwartz isrunning for the state's 13th House district, which Rep. JosephHoeffel vacated to run against Sen. Arlen Specter. The credit unionlobby is also supporting Republican Bucks County CommissionerMichael Fitzpatrick, a long-time member of Knights of Columbus FCU,in his race to succeed Rep. James Greenwood, who is retiring aftersix terms. The credit union lobby also threw its weight behind Rep.Tim Holden this time, after being forced by congressionalredistricting in 2002 to support Holden's opponent, George Gekas,the champion of the credit union-backed bankruptcy reform bill. "Wewent to work on our relationship with him right after theelections; he understood," Jan Hartman, chief lobbyist for thePennsylvania CU Association, told The Credit Union Journal of thedifficult choice the league faced in the last elections. Bothleague and credit union employees are volunteering to campaign forHolden, who has made several visits to credit unions and leagueoffices.