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A snapshot of photos taken throughout the 2024 GAC.
This week marked another successful Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) in Washington, DC. Each year, this event brings together credit union leaders from Maine and across the nation to educate members of Congress about the credit union difference.
Organized by America’s Credit Unions, the GAC included keynote addresses from actor Gary Sinise, Olympian Shaun White, and former Prime Minister, the Rt. Honorable Theresa May. Each speaker, along with the dozens of breakout sessions, provided valuable reflection on the importance of service. Maine credit unions also enjoyed an opportunity to spend time with the state’s congressional delegation at a special breakfast organized by the League and in a policy meeting later in the day on Wednesday.
During the breakfast event, Senator King requested more data regarding the impact of fees and regulation on the industry. He also spoke about the challenging interest rates and asked credit unions to share stories of how that is impacting them.
Senator Collins, whose mother passed away the previous day, spoke about the importance of public service and her dedication to never missing a credit union breakfast. She cautioned the group about remaining vigilant on preserving the tax status, saying that every year in Appropriations when the Committee looks for more money, the topic always comes up.
Representative Pingree gave an overview of the political dynamics in the House of Representatives and thanked credit unions for their dedication to the state and combatting hunger in Maine.
Coming out of the interactions, we are once again grateful for the warmth and support of our elected officials. We heard from other Leagues about how the credit union difference is not as clear for representatives and senators from other states. This speaks volumes about the importance of Maine credit unions attending events like GAC and Hike the Hill. These opportunities help us collectively share our credit union story and highlight the contributions credit unions make to Maine’s economy.
Our League looks forward to seeing more co-sponsors for credit union policy priorities as a result of the connections made this week, and thanks all those who took time out of their busy schedules to participate in this annual event.
To keep apprised of future advocacy events, please visit the League’s website. The next event, happening in a few weeks, is Credit Union Day at the State House.