Four-Hundred Delegates Registered for Congressional Caucus

WASHINGTON-With still nearly a month to go before its Congressional Caucus, NAFCU has already signed up around 400 delegates for the event. Typically, the Caucus draws a crowd of around 400-500 delegates, which does not include spouses or speakers, according to NAFCU Senior Legislative Representative Murray Chanow. At the extremes, in the heat of H.R. 1151, NAFCU’s 1997 Caucus brought nearly 800 concerned credit union officials to the nation’s capital, but in 2001 the Caucus was cancelled since it was to be held in Washington, D.C., just a few weeks after the terrorist attacks. Current NAFCU Senior Vice President and General Counsel Bill Donovan initiated the Caucus in the early 1980′s, Chanow said. More than half of attendees are credit union volunteers, he explained, while another 41% are CEOs and their credit unions’ staff. NAFCU members had about 75 Hill visits scheduled as of press time, according to Chanow. Last year they had over 500 meetings and they hope to reach that level again this year, he added. “We’ve got one of the best programs we’ve had as far as people from the administration as well as the House and Senate,” Chanow stated. He also pointed out that they have a good balance between Republicans and Democrats. Former Congressman Fred Grandy, also known as Gopher from The Love Boat, is opening the event. The House Financial Services Committee chairman and ranking member are also on the program, as well as both NCUA board members. Treasury Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Wayne Abernathy has also accepted the invitation to speak and many other key figures. Even with this line-up, Chanow had to hand it to then-director of legislative and political affairs and current-Communications Manager John Zimmerman for pulling off the triple crown. C-Span spent the entire day of Oct. 4, 1999 at NAFCU’s Congressional Caucus, covering speakers like then-Senate Banking Committee Chairman Phil Gramm (R-Texas), then-House Banking Committee Chairman Jim Leach (R-Iowa) and then-NCUA Chairman Norm D’Amours. Other speakers that day included Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.), an author of H.R. 1151, and Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). [email protected]