Longtime credit union supporter Sen. Daines to retire

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., announced this week he will not seek re-election in November. A strong credit union champion, Daines has served in the Senate since 2015, and served a term in the House representing Montana’s at-large district from 2013 to 2015.

“Sen. Steve Daines has been a steadfast champion of credit unions and the underserved communities they help power. His leadership on bipartisan efforts such as the AFFORD Act to strengthen the CDFI Fund would help expand lending capacity, improve transparency, and ensure mission-driven lenders can reach more families and small businesses,” said Scott Simpson, America’s Credit Unions president/CEO. “We thank Sen. Daines for his partnership and wish him the very best in the years ahead.”

Daines and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced the AFFORD Act along with 28 other Senators. He also worked to attach a broad CDFI package to the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act. He previously led legislation to halt implementation of the Federal Reserve’s debit interchange proposal, provide a safe harbor for financial institutions serving legal cannabis businesses, and place the CFPB under the appropriations process.