In Washington, D.C.
June is a busy month for many because it’s the first full month of summer, schools are out, and many families (mine included) head out of town for vacation. But before about 180 Credit Union leaders from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi headed out of town, they visited Louisville for our 4th Annual Advocacy on Track event on June 5th.
While the ever-changing schedule of the U.S. Senate kept Senator Rand Paul from being able to join us as planned, attendees still got a full agenda. That agenda included a federal update, a panel on messaging and advocacy, and an update on interchange efforts in Illinois.
Best of all, this event, as always, was presented totally free of charge for attendees thanks to the generous sponsorship of American Share Insurance, Envisant, Velera, The Cincinnati FHLB, VolCorp, and ServiceCorp Group Benefits. Thanks to all our sponsors, attendees, and speakers for helping to make this year's event another success, and stay tuned for information about next year's event coming this fall.
In Frankfort
June also saw movement on the interchange front, specifically regarding the IFPA in Illinois, with the state legislature acting in the final minutes of its legislative session to delay the effectiveness of the swipe fee law, the NCUA weighing in with its own guidance intended to block the effects on FCUs, and in Colorado, Governor Polis vetoing a bill to exempt sales tax from "swipe fees."
What This Means for You
Momentum continues even after legislative sessions end. From Advocacy on Track to ongoing developments surrounding interchange, staying informed and engaged helps ensure the Credit Union movement remains well represented at both the state and federal levels.
If you have any questions about advocacy or upcoming legislative issues, feel free to reach out.
Sincerely,
Kyle Hagerty
SVP & Chief Advocacy Officer
The Clock Is Ticking on Early Bird Savings for Vision 2026
August 12-14 | The Galt House | Louisville, KY
Register by June 30th to take advantage of Early Bird pricing and join credit union professionals from across Kentucky for three days of learning, leadership and connection.
Your registration includes:
- Educational sessions for every role
- Inspiring keynote speakers
- Networking opportunities with credit union peers
- Access to the exhibit hall and business partners
- Opportunities to learn, connect, and grow professionally
Whether you're a CEO, executive, manager, emerging leader, or volunteer, Vision offers valuable insights and connections to help you and your credit union succeed.
Bet on Yourself. Register Today.
Secure your spot before the Early Bird deadline and save.
Great Bourbon Raffle 2026
The Great Bourbon Raffle is an annual event hosted by Kentucky’s Credit Unions, in partnership with Credit Unions for Kids (CU4Kids). CU4Kids is a cooperative network of credit unions that support nonprofit children’s hospitals in the U.S. through various charitable donations and fundraising activities.
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals was founded more than 40 years ago with the vision to Change Kids’ Health, Change the Future. To date, they have raised over $9 billion for 170 children’s hospitals.
Every ticket purchased is a chance to win any of the 50 available bourbon packages! Check out each package below!
From the President's Desk
Plan for What You Can Control
The ground under our federal regulator has shifted again. This week the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the President may remove the leaders of independent agencies at will — a constitutional question with direct consequences for the NCUA. The practical effect is to close the door on the two removed Board members' effort to return, and to firm up an agency that has been operating under a single chair since 2025.
John Crews has been nominated for the chairmanship and is now moving through the confirmation process, and real questions remain about whether one Board member can lawfully constitute a quorum to issue rules — including an active effort to roll back dozens of existing regulations. Those questions will be litigated and debated for some time.
I'll leave the constitutional arguments to the lawyers. The leadership takeaway is simpler, and it doesn't depend on where any of us land politically: the era of slow, predictable regulatory drift is over. Independent-agency structures were designed, in part, to keep policy from lurching every four years. That buffer is thinner now. We should expect a faster pendulum — lighter-touch supervision in one administration, a heavier hand in the next, with less in between.
For those of us setting strategy, the instinct to wait for clarity is understandable and, right now, a mistake. Clarity isn't coming on a schedule we control. The better posture is to build plans that hold up under more than one regulatory climate.
A few practical suggestions:
- Stress-test against both directions. Run your strategic plan through a lighter regime and a stricter one. If a single rule surviving or falling would break your model, that's a fragility worth addressing now.
- Keep capital and compliance flexible. Optionality is cheaper than reaction. Maintain the cushion and the internal capacity to move either way without scrambling.
- Separate what's permanent from what's political. Your obligations to members, safety and soundness, and prudent risk management don't move with the board roster. Anchor strategy there.
Kentucky's Credit Unions agrees with America's Credit Unions' consistent call for a fully seated, three-member Board — the structure that has historically given this industry stability and certainty. I'm convinced that's the right advocacy position, and we'll keep pressing it on your behalf.
Still, advocacy and planning are different jobs. The cooperative model's real advantage has always been its horizon: we answer to members, not to an election cycle. Let's plan like it.
Sincerely,
Jim Kasch
League President
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