Washington

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently appointed eight new members to its Credit Union Advisory Council.

WASHINGTON — New NCUA Board Member Mark McWatters believes a second comment period is needed on the regulator's proposed risk-based capital rule and will not vote for any RBC proposal that does not include one.

REDMOND, Wash. — With the EMV card conversion deadline next October, opportunities exist for credit unions to benefit from the process. This is the case here for Qualstar Credit Union, as well as others.

LAKEWOOD, Wash. — Harborstone Credit Union knew it had a lending problem.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau remains committed to working with the financial services industry to improve the mortgage closing experience for consumers through the use of technology, CFPB director Richard Cordray said.

BEAVERTON, Ore. — From coast to coast, credit union and state league executives hailed the selection of Jim Nussle as the new leader of CUNA — with two people independently using the word "excellent" to describe the hire.

National Credit Union Administration board member Rick Metsger said a Federal Housing Finance Agency proposal to restrict Federal Home Loan Bank membership could give banks an unfair advantage over some smaller credit unions.

WASHINGTON — NCUA Board Member Rick Metsger said Wednesday he favors doubling the implementation period, which would create a de-facto second comment period on the agency's controversial risk-based capital rule.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Credit Union National Association announced Tuesday it has picked Jim Nussle, a former eight-term congressman and director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, as the trade group's new president and CEO.

WASHINGTON — The Financial Stability Oversight Council moved a step closer Thursday to identifying MetLife as the fourth nonbank firm viewed by regulators as a systemic threat.

Sound Community Bank in Seattle has acquired three branches on the Olympic Peninsula from Columbia Bank in Tacoma, Wash.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has chosen a dozen firms involved in the mortgage industry — including two credit unions — for a pilot program looking at whether electronic fillings can improve the mortgage closing process.

WASHINGTON — A group of retail trade associations and large retailers wants the Supreme Court to review the Federal Reserve Board's cap on debit card swipe fees that merchants say is higher than the fee limit envisioned in the Dodd-Frank Act.

WASHINGTON — CUNA paid former President and CEO Bill Cheney more than $1.3 million in total compensation in 2013, according to IRS form 990 released by the trade association.

WASHINGTON — Capitol Hill's interest in the risk-based capital rule — possibly reaching record levels for NCUA's proposed rulemaking — may lead to greater change to the final rule than what the agency has said is coming, according to several Capitol Hill observers.

WASHINGTON — Although a new Federal Reserve Board study shows that many Americans have recovered from the "Great Recession," a significant number of consumers are still struggling.

Banner Corp. in Walla Walla, Wash., has agreed to buy Siuslaw Financial Group in Florence, Ore.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau named ten banks and credit unions on Wednesday that it claimed were not being transparent about their agreements with large universities to market financial products to students.

If finalized and then approved by regulators, the combination of the Des Moines and Seattle Home Loan banks would be the first voluntary merger in the system’s history.

WASHINGTON — CUNA and NAFCU are watching the House Financial Services Committee closely today, hoping the panel votes not only to provide regulatory relief for credit unions, but also approves a legislative amendment that could delay implementation of NCUA's risk-based capital rule.