It takes work for credit union advocacy to stand out among all the other groups lobbying Congress, America’s Credit Unions President/CEO Jim Nussle told attendees at the 2024 Congressional Caucus Tuesday. Nussle, who served in Congress from 1991 to 2007—including stints chairing the House Budget Committee—shared the visits that had the most impact on him as a member who took many meetings.
“The stories get you in the door, if you can talk about somebody, a project, if you can communicate something that you’re doing that is life-changing,” he said. “I can tell that in the scheme of all the meetings that go on during the day, that can really punch through the rest of the noise.”
He added that he took lots of meetings with complaints and problems, but credit unions can stand out by providing solutions.
“It’s very rare that I experienced conversations where people came out and they said, ‘We’re solving a problem. We don’t necessarily need anything from you yet, we just want you to hear about the problems we’re solving for people you know in your district,’” Nussle said. “Like I said, the stories get you in the door, but you leave an impression with evidence that it’s working, that it’s sustainable and not just making a difference for one person, but for an entire community.”
He also encouraged members to continue to advocate both in Washington, D.C., and back in their home districts, with America’s Credit Unions’ advocacy team ready to assist in any way needed.
