Saying she wants to "reverse the disincentive," for credit unions to accept new deposits, NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz asked Congress to let credit unions exclude no-risk assets from their definition of total assets and to allow supplemental capital.

In a letter to the leaders of the Senate Banking and House Financial Services committees, Matz cites short-term Treasury securities as an example of the type of no-risk investment that credit unions should be able to exclude from their "total assets" definition.

She told lawmakers that to be eligible, credit unions would have to meet a minimum net worth, as determined by the NCUA, and demonstrate that any declines in their net worth ratio are caused by share growth, not poor management or unsafe and unsound practices.