A contingent of nine Minnesota credit union professionals were in Washington, D.C., last week to “Hike the Hill” for Minnesota Credit Union Network.

The MnCUN group spent three days discussing topics such as member business lending, supplemental capital and housing finance reform with members of the state's congressional delegation.

They told lawmakers that raising the MBL cap would allow their state's credit unions to add $181 million and more than 2,000 jobs to the Minnesota economy. They also stressed their industry's role in mortgage lending.

Proposed changes to CUSO rules, including requiring them to file financial statements with the NCUA, also were a topic of concern, and taken up in meetings at NCUA headquarters with NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz and Board Member Michael Fryzel.

The group also attended a CUNA regulatory briefing and met with Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Reps. Keith Ellison, Colin Peterson, Chip Cravaak and Erik Paulsen.

“This trip to the nation's capital helped increase credit unions' visibility with lawmakers and served as a way to continue building relationships with legislators and other federal officials,” said Mara Humphrey, the MnCUN's vice president of governmental affairs.

Hiking the Hill were Lisett Comai-Legrand, First Alliance CU; Dawn Dunkelberger, North Memorial FCU; Bob Vance and Dennis Bauer, Postal CU; Chuck Albrecht, Mid-Minnesota FCU; Tom Smith, TopLine FCU; Ken Blazing, Mayo Employees FCU; and from the MnCUN, President/CEO Mark Cummins and Mara Humphrey, vice president of governmental affairs.

The MCUN said it now represents 145 credit unions with more than 1.5 million members.