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NAFCU is focused this week on sharing credit unions' perspective on housing finance reform with key decision makers: NAFCU's Carrie Hunt is set to deliver the association's first testimony of the 116th Congress Wednesday to the Senate Banking Committee on the issue, and NAFCU also has meetings scheduled with Treasury Counselor Craig Phillips and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Acting Director Joseph Otting.

NAFCU testified 12 times before the 115th Congress.

The Senate Banking Committee is holding two hearings this week to discuss a proposal from Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, which includes some provisions that align with NAFCU's position on reform. NAFCU thanked Crapo for his commitment to reform following its release.

During her testimony Wednesday, Hunt, NAFCU's executive vice president of government affairs and general counsel, will reiterate the association's core principles for housing finance reform that should be included in any final reform measures. NAFCU has led efforts to ensure credit unions' unfettered access to the secondary mortgage market in any housing finance reform, and has urged the Trump administration and Congress to work together on a comprehensive solution.

The housing reform hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday are set to begin at 10 a.m. Eastern.

NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger, Vice President of Legislative Affairs Brad Thaler, Director of Regulatory Affairs Ann Kossachev and Hunt will meet tomorrow with Phillips, with whom the association has met multiple times.

On Wednesday, the group will also meet with Otting to further discuss NAFCU's 2019 priorities and goals for housing finance reform. Berger last month sent a letter to Otting stressing the importance of maintaining credit unions' access to the secondary mortgage market. Dr. Mark Calabria, who has been nominated to lead the FHFA, awaits Senate confirmation.

Also happening this week:

• Tomorrow, the House Financial Services Committee is set to markup a number of bills, including one related to serving marijuana-related businesses (read more here).
• Tomorrow, the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on administering disaster recovery funds in the wake of recent hurricanes.
• Wednesday, the House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing on the challenges of offering retirement benefits.
• NAFCU is offering a webinar Thursday to help credit unions identify and mitigate fair lending risks (register here).

Don't forget to register for NAFCU's Q1 Member Call-In happening next week. The current expected credit loss (CECL) standard, distributions from the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) and legislative efforts to address underserved communities, housing finance reform, data security and loan maturity limits are on the agenda for the free, member-exclusive call April 3.