ALEXANDRIA, Va.-NCUA Chairman JoAnn Johnson, a Republican, said that credit unions fit in nicely with President George W. Bush's `ownership society' agenda. "America's credit unions have a clear and present role today in the President's `ownership society' agenda and have responded with great magnitude," Johnson said. "Through helping credit union members become small business owners, save for retirement, and by being an integral element of the progress to raise homeownership to the highest level in history, credit unions are indeed making `ownership' a reality in the lives of millions of Americans." She highlighted the president's goal to address the looming Social Security crisis and the role credit unions can play in that. "The voluntary Personal Retirement Accounts will present opportunities for younger workers to save, invest, and ensure prosperity for future generations," Johnson stated. She also pointed out that the president recognizes the need for everyone to have access to affordable health care and credit unions are a good choice for setting up Health Savings Accounts. "I commend the credit unions that are providing these accounts and encourage all credit unions to consider the opportunity to help those who especially need it most," the chairman stated, "including low-income children and families and employees of small businesses and the self-employed." "I share the president's optimism for the economy, job creation, and I am confident that the nation's credit unions in 2005 will have a tremendous opportunity to continue to facilitate the American Dream for millions of credit union members," she concluded.