Emphasizing credit union priorities in D.C. and home states

July 9, 2026

Keeping credit union priorities in front of members of Congress doesn’t just happen on Capitol Hill. With advocacy outreach underway by Leagues and credit unions across the country, the GoWest Credit Union Association and its member credit unions are engaging with policymakers throughout the six states it represents as well as Washington, D.C.

Back home:  

  • Advocates met with Rep. Emily Randall (D-WA) in Tukwila to highlight impacts to Community Development Financial Institution funding and financial inclusion;
  • Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) focused on opportunities and challenges for bipartisan, problem-solving during discussions at a recent event;
  • In-depth conversations with Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-OR) centered on financial fraud and housing, while also helping find alignment on member-business lending improvements;
  • In Arizona, Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) met with credit union advocates on how working together on financial literacy can help address pressing challenges in Tucson and Southeast Arizona.

GoWest also brought a group of credit union advocates to Washington, D.C. to meet with regulators and lawmakers.  The discussion with key federal regulators highlighted opportunities to strengthen liquidity, modernize regulation, expand affordable lending, and preserve housing finance tools that support communities.

In meetings with members of Congress and staff from 28 different offices, attendees shared how credit unions can help improve affordability, increase lending flexibility, and further equip credit unions with resources to protect members from fraud.

“Both regulatory and Congressional meetings included extremely valuable and impactful conversations that continue to move our credit union relationship and policy goals forward,” shared Ryan Fitzgerald, GoWest senior vice president of advocacy.