Both the House and Senate are in session this week. President Trump and Congressional leaders agreed Friday to a deal to reopen the federal government through Feb 15. However, the Congress will have to commit to further negotiations with the president on an agreement to fund the federal government through Sept. 30, the end of fiscal year 2019.
President Donald Trump did sign a bill Friday evening funding the government through Feb. 15, ending the partial government shutdown. CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle thanked America’s credit unions for their efforts serving members who were furloughed.
“Throughout the shutdown, America’s credit unions have been ensuring that those affected by the shutdown have been able to avoid financial calamity. With passage of legislation to temporarily reopen the government, many of these families will see their backpay restored and can return to financial security,” Nussle said. “We will continue to engage with lawmakers as they work to continue funding the government beyond the Feb. 15 stopgap date.”
Credit unions around the country started rolling out offerings to help affected members as soon as the shutdown began and continued rolling out additional services, such as fee-free payment skip, 0 percent APR loans and other financial solutions.
CUNA has maintained a shutdown assistance page with information from more than 500 credit unions in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., that have come to the aid of furloughed federal workers.
CUNA has also kept in regular contact with Congressional offices during the shutdown, keeping them informed on credit union assistance to members. CUNA has also responded to several direct request from legislators on credit unions are assisting affected members, including five members of the Senate Banking Committee and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA.), chair of the House Financial Services Committee, each of which received CUNA’s up-to-date list of credit union offerings.
CUNA is continuing to collect information on credit union products and services available for federal workers who have now missed at least one paycheck, instances of which can be sent to CUNA Director of Public Affairs Stephen Fitzmaurice at sfitzmaurice@cuna.coop.
Read the full Washington Wire here.